Wish you weren't here
by Shellfish1001
Summary: Squall gets bundled off on a holiday that he doesn't want- with Zell to babysit, which he hates even more. Back at garden Seifer & Irvine trying to keep their new 'relationship' string free. yaoi SeiferxIrvine, ZellxSquall Complete! not beta-ed last chap
1. Chapter 1

Wish you weren't here.

Part 1.

-

"How about coming down to eat lunch with us today?" Irvine asked.

Squall briefly looked up through the bangs that fell in his eyes, his pen in his hand was still poised over his work as if he had paused just for Irvine to say his piece and would be working again as soon as the cowboy was done.

"I'm busy."

The cowboy shifted. "That's what you said yesterday." He reminded the brunette.

Squall had been holed up in his office since he was given the job from Cid. The headmaster had gone back the orphanage to be with his wife. Rinoa was on holiday with her father, trying to fix their relationship. The gang had promised to look after Squall while she was gone…. So far they weren't doing so good. The young sorceress had seemed a good match for the brunette at first but now whenever they asked Squall he always said she wasn't his girlfriend. Everyone had taken it in turns to try and tempt him out of his office and down for lunch or for a drink or a chat or for Selphie's music festival. Every attempt was turned down. Quistis tried to steal some of his workload, offering to help out but he said he didn't want any help. Selphie had arrived at his office all cheerful, bouncing and chatting away that Squall's didn't even open the door to her. On the one day that Squall remembered to go to bed instead of falling asleep at his desk Zell ran after him in the corridor to ask if he wanted to have breakfast with them. For some reason no matter how fast he ran and called out Squall only seemed to move faster and he got into the lift before Zell caught him.

And now it was Irvine's turn.

"Look Squall man, everyone's worried about you if you come down this once you won't bother you again."

Squall glanced up at him. "Yes you will."

"Well not for…. At least a week." Irvine promised.

"I'm busy."

The cowboy sighed. "Well do you want me to bring you anything?"

"No thanks." He went back to work.

"Sure?"

Again those stormy eyes looked up at him. "I'm sure."

Irvine shrugged. He said he would try and he had so they couldn't blame him for that.

He left Squall's office and stopped outside looking ahead, surprised to see that the lift was still up there and the doors were open. As he nearer he saw who was standing inside. He stood in the doorway and raised an a eyebrow.

"I didn't realize you cared for Squall?"

The tall blonde who stood to one side of the lift grimaced. "For Squall? I don't care for him."

Irvine's lips curled up slightly. "That's what I thought." He slowly stepped forward to enter the lift. "But then what other reason would you have to come up to this floor?"

Seifer also smiled ever so slightly. "I wasn't meaning to." He lied. "I was heading for the dorms when the lift came up here instead." He explained.

The cowboy nodded slowly though he knew the blonde was talking crap. Someone must have told him that he was up there talking to Squall.

For a while now the cowboy had been going through a dry spell, sex-wise, he had been complaining to whoever was listening in the cafeteria one day. Most people had told him to shut up or else they moved away so that they couldn't hear him but then Seifer joined in. The blonde wasn't exactly popular these days in fact the only person he had seen the blonde with regularly with Fujin. Raijin wasn't there anymore, not at garden anyway he works in Balamb and his friends go into town to see him when they can. So there they were sulking and grumbling about the lack of girlfriends/boyfriends they had had lately or just sex in Irvine's case. When one of them, and they couldn't remember who it was came up with the idea to break their dry spells…. With each other.

They had left the cafeteria separately and had later meet up in Irvine's dorm. Seifer was gone when he had woken up the next morning as he expected, usually he was the one doing the leaving.

He smiled to himself as thought at least now Seifer wasn't likely to get his friends to stalk him and glare at him in corridors, which had happened before with this insane girl. Instead…. Seifer wanted him and he wasn't exactly hiding it either and maybe he wasn't the only one. Maybe he had thought about a repeat performance too.

The lift dinged as it stopped in the dorms and the doors opened. Seifer stepped forward to step off, Irvine was standing so that the blonde had too brush past him to leave. Neither of them minded but both internally blaming the other for the gesture.

The doors shut again with both men on either side smirking slightly.

III

Selphie looked around to see if anymore could hear her before she leant in close to whisper to Quistis.

"Okay it's all set up. I booked him into a hotel in Winhill for a whole month." She almost squealed the end of that sentence.

The blonde smiled. "This is just what Squall needs a little peace and quiet to forget about garden for a month."

"We can get the guys to help us pack Squall's things onto the Rag then all we have to do is ell him and see him off."

Quistis frowned. "But I know Squall he'll fly around for an hour and then come back again."

Selphie grinned. "All taken care of! Zell can fly the Rag, he hadn't any missions coming up and he could use the time off he is the only one of us excluding Squall who hasn't taken his holiday time yet."

Quistis winced. "But Zell isn't exactly Squall's best friend and I'm not sure he knows what peace and quiet means."

Selphie shrugged. "I'm sure once they're there everything will be fine." She grinned.

"You wouldn't be trying to play matchmaker again would you?" Quistis asked suspiciously.

"Me?" She smiled innocently. "Of course not." She waved a hand. "And anyway it's all sorted out now. Squall can check in this evening."

"We'd better go pack then."

They grinned and leave their cafeteria chairs to go to Squall's dorm.

III

"Oooh kinky." Zell held up a pair of tight black leather pants with the splits all the way down the legs with straps, zips and buckles all over.

"I doubt Squall will need those." Quistis said.

"Oh but-" Zell looked disappointed.

"No!"

He sighed and put them back in the cupboard.

Selphie packed shirts while Irvine went through the underwear drawer.

"You want to go out tonight after we see off Squall and Zell?" Selphie asked the cowboy.

Irvine shook his head. "I can't, I have plans."

Her eyes lit up. "Really? With a girl?"

"Erm… Well… not a girl but-"

She rolled her eyes. "Seifer." She said. "I thought that was supposed to be a one time thing."

"Well now it's two time thing." He grinned. "I just thought it was a waste for two gorgeous sex gods-"

Zell scoffed from across the room.

"-Like us to be single and not getting any. It's not like we're getting married or anything, we're both lonely and horny so it makes sense." He explained.

"As long as you know what you're doing."

"I do." He said. "At least this way neither of us can get pregnant." He grinned and she rolled her eyes.

"Perfect solution then." She said, humouring him.

He nodded in agreement as he counted out Squall's boxers. "What, no condoms, no lube doesn't this guy ever get laid?"

"It's Squall." Selphie reminded him.

"Ah, probably not then." Irvine said.

"Hey!" Zell protested.

"Sorry did I insult your idol?" Irvine smirked.

"Shut up cowboy!"

Irvine put the clothes he had in the case, they had mostly finished now. Quistis had been through the bathroom, adding toothbrushes, shower gel, towels and things. Irvine eyed the boxes under the bed, which no one had looked through. "I wonder if there's any porn in there?"

Zell stood behind the cowboy as he reached under for the boxes. "I don't think you should be doing that."

Irvine smirked. "You're just as curious as me, admit it."

Zell shifted a bit. "Well maybe just a little."

The cowboy chuckled. "Let's have a look then."

A sound came from the front door causing them all to jump and guiltily glance at each other. Squall appeared in the bedroom doorway stopping dead in his tracks when he saw them all in his bedroom.

"What the hell are you guys doing in here?" His eyes landed on the now closed and full suitcase. "What's going on?"

Quistis walked over and stood in front of him smiling. "Good news!"

He folded his arms as if preparing himself for this news that he expected to be bad.

"You're going on vacation."

"I am?"

"Yes to Winhill, it's all sorted out. You have a month of holiday time so we made the arrangements."

He just stared at her, his eyes running around the room to his other friends, all of them seemed happy about this. "But I don't have time to-"

"Xu and I can handle things here, you need a break, everyone thinks so."

"Yeah man it'll be good for you." Irvine added.

"Don't want-"

"Nonsense." Selphie interrupted. "You can check in tonight, you'll all packed and we filled the Ragnorok with everything you will need."

They started to marched him out of the room. The guys had suitcases and bags with them and the girls kept talking, not giving the Squall the chance to protest. They walked all the way to the ship, with as Squall their victim.

The brunette stared up at the ship in confusion as if unsure how he got to be standing beside it. They started to move up the ramp when Squall stopped dead.

"Wait!"

They all stopped and looked up at him.

"I'm not going anywhere. I don't have the time to leave garden and I don't want to go to Winhill and- and-" He looked up at the ship. "I'm flying there myself?" He asked, probably already thinking about agreeing to go and then coming back again a day later.

Selphie shook her head. "We know you, you'll come back too soon."

"Oh." Squall frowned.

"So Zell's going with you."

The brunette's eyes widened. "WHAT?!" He watched Irvine and Zell walk up the ramp, carrying his luggage on board, both of them looked amused.

"Now what a minute!" He called after them.

"Let's go." Quistis and Selphie walked onto the ship with Squall between him, being bullied on board.

They went up to the bridge where Zell sat in the pilot seat.

"Wait, I don't need a babysitter! I know how to pilot the ship myself!"

Zell glared over his shoulder. "I could do with the time off anyway."

"Go somewhere else then." Squall glared at him.

The blonde's grin faltered and he turned back to start the ship.

The girls gave Squall a disapproving look for being mean to Zell.

Squall just rolled his eyes.

"Well have a good time." Selphie cheered as she and Quistis backed away.

"What, wait! We're still deciding!"

"Nope! All decided." Quistis hugged Squall, who froze up as usual.

"Come back here." Squall felt the ship start up and was torn between running over to Zell to stop him taking off and getting the girls back to argue with.

The door closed and Squall walked over and slumped into the chair next to Zell's.

"You realize this is kidnapping right?"

The blonde chuckled. "No, it'll be fun. Cheer up."

Squall sat and glared out of the window watching the landscape whiz past.

III

"He'll be fine." Selphie said with a nod as she walked with Irvine and Quistis. "When he gets used to it."

"You hope." Irvine smirked.

"And if not we'd better leave the country before he gets back," Quistis said, trading a worried look with Selphie.

Irvine just laughed.

II

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2.

-

"Wow!" Zell shouted excitedly. "This is great! Isn't this great?!" He yelled at Squall who flinched away from him, turning to glance around at his surroundings.

The place hadn't changed since he had last there, which was almost a year ago. The hotel was tiny with only five rooms for guests. He stared out over the square, his mother's bar was directly opposite the hotel with flowers in the window. Children ran around in front of the houses, a couple of boys bumped into Zell as he mounted the steps at the front of hotel.

Squall nodded faintly. "Yeah, it's nice." He replied quietly, now staring up at the hill behind the town, it was full of flowers. His mother's grave was on that hill somewhere, Laguna had told him so many times but he never actually been to see it.

"Squall?"

He blinked, looking back at Zell who watched him with a concerned expression. "You okay?"

He nodded. "Just thinking."

Zell shrugged and then grinned. "Let's go inside k?"

Squall nodded and followed the blonde up the steps. Zell went up to the desk to check them in while Squall staying with their bags, he came back with the key. Squall frowned briefly, only one key meant only one room. He hadn't wanted to be trapped in one room with the annoying blonde, it was bad enough trying to avoid him at garden. He followed Zell up the stairs to room number three. The door opened and they went inside.

Zell was slightly ahead of him so he froze first and then looked back Squall to see what his reaction would be.

The brunette's eyes widened. "What the fuck?!" He stared at the double bed that sat in the middle of the bedroom.

He turned accusing eyes on Zell. "Did you know about this?"

The little blonde held up his hands and backed away. "I didn't know! They probably booked it before they realized I was going to be here and then forgot." Though he got the idea that Selphie knew exactly what she was doing.

"What the hell was Selphie thinking?" Squall kept staring at the bed in shock, horror. Could this holiday get any worse? He frowned again. "I bet this another stupid matchmaking idea." He looked back at Zell who was backing off even more.

"If it is then I didn't know anything about it!"

"Hmph." Squall grumbled and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Don't you want to explore the neighbour a little?"

Squall gave him a strange look. "No, why would I want to do that?"

"Because it's a new place, it's exciting! Don't you think it's exciting?"

Squall took his shoes and pulled out a book he had been meaning to read for ages but had never found the time back at garden.

"No."

Zell sighed. "Oh come on Squall, just come out with me this once."

"You can explore by yourself can't you?"

Zell frowned and headed for the door muttering something that sounded suspiciously like. "Fine, be an asshole then."

III

Squall had been reading for about two hours almost forgetting about Zell all together when a sound came from outside the door like someone trying to get in.

"Squall?" Zell's voice floated in through the room causing him to groan. "Squall? Did you lock the door? I-I didn't take the key, let me in. It's me, Zell."

The brunette had got up after Zell left and locked him out, wanting to give himself some quiet to read his book.

"Squall!" Zell was beating on the door now. "Let me in!"

There was the sound of extra voices in the background now, probably the neighbours complaining about the noise.

"It's not my fault." He heard Zell say. "I can't get in."

"I'll get you the master key." Another voice said.

Squall groaned and got up off the bed, putting in his bookmark and opened the door. Zell had had his back to the door but he spun round when he heard the lock click.

"Squall!"

The brunette glared at him then turned and walked back to the bed.

Zell followed him, shutting the door behind him. "Why the hell didn't you let me in?! I was starting to think you had had an accident or something."

Squall curled up on the bed again with his book.

The little blonde stood by the end of the bed watching him and frowned, folding his arms. "Well I was going to tell what I did today." He glared at Squall. "But maybe I won't now."

Squall raised an eyebrow. The day Zell managed to keep his mouth shut he expected the world to end. The blonde ran the back of his hand across his forehead, wiping away the sweat.

"I really need a shower." He turned to the bathroom before he added. "'Cause I ran up that hill at the back of village and beat up an old man."

Squall frowned. "You what?"

The blonde turned to grin over his shoulder. "Not really! It was a monster but from the distance I thought it was an old man." He chuckled.

"Oh." Squall looked back down at his book.

Zell walked into the bathroom for his shower then shot back out again all excited.

"You should see the size of the shower! It's huge! I bet you could fit two people in there easy!"

Squall raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"Yeah you could-" He trailed off with a blush. "I mean- not I that I meant that you- me- us- I meant a different two people-I-" He turned, blushing a deep pink and marched into the bathroom.

Squall sighed in relief when the shower finally started up.

It was the middle of the evening the sun was setting outside, the brunette got up and stood in front of the window gazing out over the square, watching the sun go down. He knew Selphie had some sort of matchmaking idea in her head when she set up the hotel room for them. She had tried and tried with him and Rinoa, trapping them in rooms hadn't worked, sending them out on dates hadn't worked, getting both of them drunk with spiked drinks hadn't worked. In fact with the last idea Squall had thrown up and Rinoa had ended up in bed with an equally drunk Irvine. After that she just gave up on Squall. She moved on to setting Zell up with that library girl, which had worked…. Sort of as far as Squall knew they were still together. He frowned. If Zell had a girlfriend why wasn't he on holiday with her?

The sound of the shower shutting off caught his attention and few minutes later Zell appeared with a large white towel around his waist and another smaller one around his neck. He towelled his hair, rubbing at it till it stuck out in all directions.

"Don't you have a girlfriend?" He blurted out.

"Huh?" The blonde blinked at him. "Oh err- yeah I guess."

"Why aren't you with her then?"

He shrugged. "We're taking it slow." He said.

Squall nodded, watching his friend dry himself with the smaller towel. The little blonde then dropped the large one to pool at his ankles, turning around completely naked to dig in his suitcase for boxers, bent at the waist to rummage through his stuff. Squall suddenly realizing what he was watching and turned away to face the window ignoring the blush that worked its way up his neck and into his cheeks. He knew the short fighter had a nice body he'd seen him before in the showers or whatever and allowed himself a quick glance, shame Zell was a chatty, irritating annoyance. Instead of looking at the sun set he noticed how with the dimming light outside he could see the room reflecting in the glass. He scolded himself and forced his eyes to watch the sun going down not to watch his naked friend hop around the room trying to step into a pair of clean underwear.

"Okay so we- err- sort of had a break up." Squall looked over his shoulder to see that the blonde now had a pair of long denim shorts on.

"Right before we left."

The brunette turned to lean on the wall beside the window.

"We were going too slowly…. She decided to go faster with someone else."

"I'm sorry." He said.

Zell shrugged. "I wasn't that into her anyway."

"Why were you with her then?"

"I seemed a good idea at the time."

Squall frowned. "Why bother?"

"Well I had someone else in mind…." He trailed off sitting on the edge of the bed, leaning down to move his stuff around on the floor.

"Go out with them then."

The blonde winced slightly. "I don't think that would work, we're not really in the same league, you know?"

Squall nodded, pushing off the wall. "I'm going to see if I can find somewhere to eat." He picked up his shoes, putting them on.

"Ooh!" Zell jumped, going back into eager puppy mode causing Squall to wince. "If you're going for food, I'll come! I'm sooo hungry, I could eat a chocobo." He flipped open his case and dug out a shirt, deep blue with a few white stripes down the front.

"You're always hungry." The brunette said.

He put his shirt on and hurried after Squall who was halfway out the door already. Zell continued to go on about food until they found some. A small café a short walk from the hotel, where the two girls working there gushed over Squall all night, the closer they got the more he flinched. They would bring the food over to their table, leaning in close to him and he would lean away.

Zell was muffling his laughter behind his hand. "You could have been a little nicer." He whispered when they left.

"Nicer?" Squall frowned. "If I'd have been nice to them they might have taken it as a 'come on'."

Zell laughed but turned it into a cough when Squall glared at him.

The little blonde sighed contentedly as they walked. "God I'm full, that was the best food ever….. Well not ever 'cause it's not as good as my ma's food."

Off he went again talking endlessly and mostly about food.

Squall sighed heavily and tried to drown it out.

"You're never had my ma's food have you Squall?"

"Hmm?"

"Squall? Are you listening to me?"

The brunette blinked.

"Yes, sorry err-" He tried to think about what the question was. "Um- no I haven't."

"Well you should I've invited everyone around to my house before and everyone except you have showed up."

"I'm been-"

"Busy, yes we know." Zell finished the sentence for him. He sighed and then started off talking again, this time about the pudding he had had and how it was best ever and how they would be well fed there and probably fat by the time they went back to garden.

"You'll never be fat." Squall interrupted. "You're constantly moving."

The blonde beamed at him, obviously taking that was a compliment.

It was late evening by the time they got back to the hotel, they walked the long way around as Zell insisted on walking off their food. Zell let them back into the room, still able to find something to talk about. Squall promptly shut himself in the bathroom at soon as they got to their room to escape.

He heard the TV be switched on while he was in the bathroom and sighed. Thank god. Surely the TV would be enough of a distraction to shut him up for a while at least.

III

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3.

-

When Squall emerged from the bathroom Zell was lying on his stomach flat across the bed. His head was near the end of the bed, propped up on one elbow to watch the TV. He had lost his shirt and shoes and was once again only wearing a pair of boxers. The brunette had pair of black trousers on and nothing else.

The blonde looked up at him as he entered. "Squall, come and watch this, I've never seen this episode before."

"What are you watching?"

"Police chases."

The brunette made a face but he still walked over to bed and leant his hip against the foot post.

"I always love how they think they can outrun a helicopter." Zell laughed at the night vision shot on the screen.

"Hmm." Squall said walking over to look out of the window. The moon was full and high in the sky casting light into their room.

"Squall?"

"Hmm." Squall didn't bother turning from the window.

"You and Rinoa…. You're not…. A couple?"

The brunette stared up at the moon. "No."

"Why?"

Squall looked over his shoulder, Zell was watching him with a confused expression. "Why do you ask? Do you want her?"

Zell chuckled. "No, of course not." He pushed himself up, sitting up cross legged on the bed. "It's just- I think- we think-"

Squall rolled his eyes. Here we go.

"That you don't get out enough, that you don't-"

"Don't what?"

"Date enough or at all." He paused. "We should go to a club while we're here."

Squall frowned. "We're in Winhill, there aren't any clubs."

"But I'm sure we could rent a car and drive to Deling city, plenty of clubs there. We can just go and check out the hot guys and girls there." Zell frowned then spluttered. "Oh- err I mean- just girls- in your case." He grinned.

Squall gave him a confused look. "You're Bi?"

"Yeah, thought everyone knew that."

"I didn't."

"There you go see, that's because you're so out of the loop."

Squall frowned. "Well maybe I don't want to be in the- loop."

"Oh come on Squall it'll be fun, you don't have to do anything too daring like dance or anything, we can have some drinks and just sit and enjoy the view." He grinned. "We'll only go to straight bars if that's what you're worried about."

The brunette leant on the wall beside the window and fidgeted. "I don't know."

The little blonde leapt off the bed suddenly. "Yeah it'll be great! We'll get you a girlfriend in no time."

"I don't want a girlfriend."

"You don't? Why not?"

"Well do you?"

Zell shrugged. "Not really but I just had one and she was a pain so I thought I'd give men a chance next, I've never had a boyfriend before."

Squall raised an eyebrow. "Then how do you know you're bi if you've never been with a man?"

The little looked up and grinned wickedly at him. "I never said I hadn't had sex with men."

"But you- Oh!" He blushed and looked down at the floor.

Zell chuckled. "Seriously we'll just look okay? That's all I did with Irvine when we went last weekend with the girls."

Squall frowned. "Irvine? You and Irvine?"

"No!" Zell laughed. "I mean, the girls went off to dance leaving us to sit and watch."

"Irvine just sat there?" Squall asked in confusion.

"Since he's been banging Seifer, yeah." He laughed. "And don't get me started on this so called no strings attached thing they have, they so have strings!"

Squall's lips quirked up slightly.

"Though if someone asked you to dance you could." Zell said.

"I don't think anyone would." Squall added.

The blonde smirked. "Squall have you looked in a mirror lately?"

Squall frowned in confusion at the odd question.

"You're freaking gorgeous, of course people are going to ask." He grinned.

The brunette blinked at the compliment and turned around to hide the blush.

The blonde glanced at the TV seeing that his show had finished he picked up the remote and started to channel surf. "What do you want to watch?"

"Whatever." The brunette moved to perch on the edge of the bed. "I don't think I'm up to doing any clubbing."

Zell shrugged. "Oh well you didn't bring any clothes for it anyway."

"I didn't?" Squall asked.

He shook his head. "Quistis wouldn't let me pack your kinky pants."

Squall raised an eyebrow. "My what?"

"You know, the leather with the buckles and the open sides."

The brunette nodded. "Oh yeah them…. I've never actually worn them."

"Never?"

Squall shook his head. "Never get the opportunity to wear them."

Zell bowed his head and groaned in disappointment. "Oh and this could have been the perfect opportunity."

"Hmm." Squall said, watching as Zell stopped on a talk show and read the subject out loud.

"People who remember their previous lives." Zell wrinkled up his nose. "The fuck-?!"

He started going up through the channels again, flicking past documentaries because they were boring. He stopped on a film for a second before he realized it was a romance then starting flicking again with a frown.

"Oh there's nothing good on." He sighed and gave up, putting the remote down.

Leaving the TV on a documentary but muting the sound. He reached over the side of the bed and pulled a large bag of crisps up and into his lap.

"Where'd you get those?"

"The lady downstairs gave them to me."

"I thought you were full."

Zell gave him a sharp look. "That was half an hour ago." He leaned the bag in Squall's direction. "Want some?"

"No thanks." He shook his head.

The blonde shrugged, stuffing a handful into his mouth.

Squall picked up the remote and put that film back on again. Zell groaned.

"What? It's still on mute."

"Yeah but-"

"There's nothing else to do…. Unless you want to play cards?" The brunette suggested. The only thing he liked to do.

Zell smiled. "Yeah but you always beat me so it's no fun."

"We'll just play for fun." Squall said, splitting his deck into two halves, and handing one half to Zell.

The blonde shot up. "Okay!" He took the pile he was offered. "But I'm not doing any stupid rules!"

The brunette nodded. "Fine, we'll stick to 'open' only, okay?"

Zell nodded.

They played for an hour before Zell gave up. He sighed heavily and threw the cards down on the bed. They both sat cross legged on both sides of the bed looking at each other. They had straightened the sheets in front of them to put the cards there.

"I still can't win! I hate this game."

Squall just looked quietly smug across from him.

"Shut up!" Zell said, though Squall hadn't said anything. "I'm going to bed." He huffed.

They both got off the bed and looked at it and then at each other.

"How is this going to work?" Squall asked.

Zell draw an imaginary line down the middle of the bed, pulled the pillows nearer to mark it. "This is the halfway line, you can stay on your side and I'll stay on my side."

Squall nodded in agreement getting in under the covers while Zell disappeared into the bathroom. He turned off the main light and just put his little lamp on.

Zell came out and Squall was on his side facing away from him. The blonde got under the covers and Squall reached out and turned the light off.

III

When Squall opened his eyes on the morning, the sun shone straight at him. He winced, hiding his face in the sheets and shuffled backwards to get away from it. He froze when the moved backwards into another warm body. He glanced over his shoulder, spotting blonde hair. Zell had moved across their half way line. By quite a bit considering Squall was perched right on the edge on the mattress. Squall lifted the covers seeing the blonde's arm wrapped around his rib cage and…

He fidgeted. Zell had a leg thrown over his legs it was as if the blonde was trying to climb over him.

As if he didn't have enough room over there. Squall thought, looking back at the blonde's face that rested on his shoulder. He gently picked up Zell's arm and tried to move it off himself. The blonde moved forward in his sleep to cuddle Squall more, his arm squeezing him around the ribs. The brunette squeaked in protest. The blonde went back to sleep, his grip going slack so Squall could breathe again.

The brunette sighed, gently he moved his legs so thankfully the blonde moved his leg back, just as Squall was relieved Zell rubbed up against him in his sleep. The brunette's eyes widened. Zell had an erection and he was pressing it against his ass. Squall picked up the arm again and this time he rolled forward and off the edge of the bed. He pushed himself up onto his knees on the floor. Zell hugged the pillow instead and showed no signs of waking up.

Squall sighed in relief and pushed himself to his feet walking into the bathroom for a shower.

III

Irvine grunted, pushing himself up on his elbows. He scowled down at the blonde who smirked up at him, eyes dancing.

"Asshole." Irvine growled, swinging his legs gingerly over the edge of the bed.

"I told you I'd never done that before." He complained.

"Not my fault you're so fragile."

Irvine scoffed. "I am not fragile! You are a complete asshole!"

He growled again as Seifer jumped off his side of the bed energetically and went around to Irvine's side. "I could pick you up if you like." He offered.

Irvine pushed him away. "Like fuck you will."

Seifer laughed. "Why don't you just stay then? Leave in the morning, I'll even let you use my shower."

Irvine glared up at him.

"Honestly I mean it." Seifer backed away going back to his side of the bed and getting in. "Stay." He said.

The cowboy hesitated on the side of the bed.

"Decide quickly, because you're letting the cold in." Seifer complained.

Irvine turned and swung his legs back under the covers hiding the wince. "Fine." He said. "I'll stay."

Seifer nodded and reached out to turn the light off, turning in the dark to face the cowboy. Irvine glanced at him in the dark, still able to see or sense the smirk so he turned to face the wall.

III

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Part 4.

III

The blonde fidgeted in his sleep, reaching out with one arm and finding nothing. He stilled for a second then shuffled forward to reach further and further until-

Zell rolled off the bed in his sleep, he hit the floor with a soft thump, taking the duvet with him.

He blinked and then frowned and sat up in confusion. Where was he? Why was he on the floor?

"You're awake then?"

The blonde head whipped round fast, too fast. He winced and put a hand up to his stiff neck. "Squall!" He spotted the brunette leaning on the doorframe to the bathroom. "Why are you up already?"

"Already? It's nearly noon."

Zell's eyes widened. "What? That- That can't be right." He fumbled around to see a clock to prove Squall wrong but the digital clock read 11:43. He blinked again as if this would make the display change.

"But-But I always get up early, I-I do all my training, I-I go running- I-I-I-" He paled suddenly. "My god I missed breakfast!" He turned panicked eyes on Squall who actually looked amused.

"Yes but you're just in time for lunch."

"Y-You don't understand I NEVER miss a meal." He struggled to untangle the bed clothes from his legs and stumbled to his feet. "There must be something wrong here somewhere."

"You're just not used to the different air here." Squall reasoned. "Being this far in land I mean."

Zell nodded hurriedly. "I guess that's it." He stumbled towards the bathroom. "I gotta go shower and err stuff." He wandered into the other room in a daze.

The blonde shut the door and leant on it shutting his eyes for a second to get his bearings, things were still very confused. He NEVER slept in, ever. At home he would be running laps around garden while everyone else was in bed and then he'd go and get his morning hotdogs before anyone else stole them. Though he was glad they were no bunk beds this time, on a mission with Irvine he fell out of the top bunk and hit his head on the bedside table on the way down. He started the shower up and peeled off his boxers, hopping in under the spray. He ran his hands down over his face, waking himself up. He grabbed the shower gel squeezed a good amount into his hands and lathered it up. He smirked slightly, remembering the _interesting_ dream he had had last night. Must have been his close proximity to Squall, not that he needed a lot of encouragement in that department, Squall guest starred in most of his dreams. Hell, he was less of a guest star and more of a regular by now. He'd had training centre fantasies, shower, fountain and this really odd one with hotdogs…. Don't ask. On a mission once Squall was washing off under a waterfall alone…. Or at least he thought he was alone- that image had lasted him a whole month worth of fantasies.

Last night was…. Squall in those leather pants he found in the brunette cupboard, which Quistis didn't let him pack. He was really regretting listening to her. He finished his shower and stepped out, grabbing a large fluffy towel. He dried some of himself then tied it around his waist, grabbing another towel and stepped out of the bathroom. Squall was gone. He frowned. The one time the guy actually leaves the room and he doesn't take Zell with him.

The little blonde dried quickly and threw on some clothes before hurrying out to find Squall. He wore a pair of long shorts and a polo shirt, he struggled with the three buttons as he walked out of the hotel door and across the square. Children played by the river, people went about their day but no Squall.

"Excuse me." He stopped a girl, who looked about his age. "Have you seen a guy, brunette, leather with a scar." He ran a finger across the top of his nose to show where Squall's scar was.

She nodded. "Yeah the cute one." She pointed up the hill. "He went that way."

He grinned. "Thanks." He hurried up the hill.

III

Squall lay the white roses, which he had brought from the little florist, in the village in front of gravestone with his mother's name on. He sat in front of it with his knees bent, not sure what he was supposed to do now. Some people said stuff right? He wasn't really a saying stuff type of guy. It wasn't like he even remembered her, all he had was a name. Laguna had given him pictures of her, of the two of them and of Raine with Ellone. He looked over the gravestone, there was a pretty nice view up there. The fields stretched out for miles and it was a beautiful day, not a cloud for miles except for those wispy clouds. He sat down properly and then lay back in the sun, an arm behind his head. So peaceful, so quiet. Slowly he started to hear what sounded like muttering, someone talking to themselves, complaining maybe. He tipped his head up so he could see behind himself upside down. Zell plodded up the hill muttering away to himself. Squall frowned and shut his eyes. Great, that guy would ruin his peaceful atmosphere.

"Here you are." The blonde said as he walked towards Squall. "I've been looking for you, why did you leave without me? I would have come wi- OH!" He stopped.

The brunette rose to a sitting position, looking back at Zell who was staring at the gravestone.

"It's my mother's." Squall explained.

"Oh." The blonde stopped a few feet away from it. "Well- would you- do you…. Want me to go away?" He looked unsure of himself suddenly.

Squall shrugged. "No that's okay."

The blonde brightened up again and moved to sit beside Squall in front of the gravestone. He looked at the brunette. "Aren't you going to introduce us?" He smiled.

Squall frowned. "What? Why?"

"That's what you're supposed to do when you bring someone home to meet your mother…" He grinned then slowly it fell off his lips. "I mean-" He looked sheepish. "I didn't mean that the way it sounded- not in a couple-ish way or anything."

"I know and I didn't bring anyone home, it's a hillside." Squall pointed out.

The blonde shrugged and looked out at the view instead. They fell into silence. A first for Zell.

The brunette glanced at Zell who still wasn't looking at him and he sighed. "Fine." He ran a finger over the lettering on the gravestone. "Zell, this is my mother Raine." He said.

Zell raised a hand in a brief wave at the gravestone. "Hi." He said.

Squall rolled his eyes. "Happy?"

The blonde beamed. "Very."

Squall nodded.

"So am I the first friend you've introduced to your mother?"

"Yes."

He grinned even more, looking very pleased with himself. Squall just shook his head not understanding why that would make him happy.

"Aren't you going to talk to her?" Zell asked.

Squall gave him a funny look. "She can't hear me you know."

"I know but don't you want to tell her…. Stuff."

"….Not really."

"I tell my mum stuff."

"Your mum's alive." Squall pointed out.

The blonde shrugged. "I just think you should talk to her, you don't talk to anyone living so…"

Squall rolled his eyes.

Zell stood up suddenly and stretched. "Well I better go and kill some things I haven't done any training at all today yet."

"Okay." He turned, watching the little blonde jog away across the hill.

III

Zell let himself into their hotel room with his key, he had asked for an extra key from the owner after what happened last time. He had knocked but as usual Squall didn't let him in so he let himself in. He walked into the bedroom, which was empty.

"Squall?" He called, looking into the bathroom. "Squall?"

The brunette was still out? What else could he be doing? He had to beg him to come out last night and now Zell had lost him again. He walked to the bed and sat down eyeing the book that Squall had been reading since they got there, it sat on the duvet on Squall's side. He picked it up and flipped through the pages. He read the summary on the back page and frowned. Almost sounded like a romance book, surely Squall wasn't into romantic books and movies and stuff? Zell didn't read books at all really, fighting magazines sure, the odd porn magazine but not proper reading. He had pretended to read in his lessons when he was cadet, usually while getting pelted with rolled up bits of paper from stupid assholes in the back row, mainly Raijin and Seifer. He was swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and they hit Squall's bag making something fall out of it.

It was a magazine that definitely didn't remember packing and the girls wouldn't have packed either. He opened the first page realizing that there were two magazines, one inside the other with a note on the front page.

"For your enjoyment?" Zell read then flipped it over and smiled. "From Irvine, the horniest cowboy in the west." He laughed.

Well one of the magazines was naked men and the other women so he guessed one was for him as Squall was straight…. As far as he knew anyway.

He was lying across the bed flicking through the pages when Squall walked in. He nodded at the blonde. "Hey." He greeted.

"Hi!" The blonde grinned. "Where have you been?"

"Out." Squall said walking up to the end of the bed. "What are you reading?"

He grinned. "Look what Irvine smuggled into your bag." He held them up for Squall to see.

The brunette shook his head. "Typical Irvine."

"Yeah."

"Wait….you went through my bag?"

"Huh? No! I was sitting and I kicked it and they fell out." He shrugged. "Besides I helped pack it so I know what you've got in there better than you do."

Squall sat on the edge absently flipping through the pages of the gay magazine, he paused on the centre fold and frowned as he tried to figure out what was supposed to be happening in the shot. They were four semi naked guys, some topless and others bottomless, one on his knees. He tipped the picture up the other way and he blushed, sitting up and away from the picture when he caught on to what was happening. Zell watched him and laughed.

"I err- I asked a rental car guy and he said we should be able to get a car and go to Deling…. If that's what you want?" Squall said.

Zell stared at him.

Squall fidgeted. "You don't have to, I just thought-"

"No! It's a great idea!" He beamed, bouncing up on the bed to sit beside Squall. "You-You really want to go?" Zell asked.

"Sure but I'm not going clubbing with you."

His face fell just a little then he smiled. "You say that now but when you get there I'm sure you'll-"

Squall shook his head. "I won't."

"You will."

The brunette frowned.

"Okay, okay, you win… for now, no clubs." He jumped up. "Now I'm all excited!" He started moving about the room restlessly, pacing, hopping up and down. "So when do you want to go?"

Squall shrugged. "In a couple of days?"

The blonde pouted. "A couple of days? That's ages!! That's a whole…. Two days away."

Squall rolled his eyes, picking up his book. "I want to finish my book, go and be restless somewhere else."

Zell sighed. "Fine, there's got to be something to do around here." He walked out, leaving Squall with his book.

III

Tbc


	5. Chapter 5

Part 5.

III

Notes: I see they've changed the site again just to make it more complicated. Managed to figure out how to post a chapter now i have to try and find out how to read my reviews. Why people can't just leave things alone is beyond me. They keep arsing around Ebay too.

III

Squall peered out of the window, pulling the edge of the curtain out of the way and frowned. Zell was outside down below his window surrounded by… girls. He watched the short blonde show off his muscles to the little group, he was shirtless and sweaty so he had probably been training. Squall rolled his eyes, this was Winhill the locals were obviously desperate. The blonde girl on the right kept touching him, on the arm, on the back, chest. The brunette's eyes narrowed and he dropped the curtain back into place, turning away from the window. The moon was high in the sky, Squall had read all afternoon, Zell had only just appeared so he didn't know where he had been though from the fan club out there he could guess.

The door opened and Zell walked in grinning. Squall looked up through his eyelashes at him. "Hey." The blonde greeted.

Squall didn't say anything.

"Have you been stuck in here all day?" Zell asked.

Squall nodded.

Zell sighed. "You should be out, it was a beautiful day."

"Did you have fun?"

"Huh?" The blonde wrinkled his nose in confusion.

"Did you have fun today with your little… fan club?"

He frowned and thought about that for a minute. "Oh! Oh, the girls they just sort of appeared when I approached the hotel." He rested his hands on the footboard. "I was talking you up to them the whole time." He said excitedly, moved forward again to sit on the edge of the bed and then thought better of it, he really needed a shower so he started pacing instead.

"'Cause I told you I would get you a girlfriend so I-" He paused as the brunette's comment finally sunk in. "What- err- are you-?" He smiled. "-Jealous?"

Squall gave him a withering look.

The blonde chuckled. "That's a no, huh?" He laughed. "I need a shower. "He headed for the bathroom. "Unless-" He stopped in the doorway. "-You want to join me?" He asked, dodging out of the way as a cushion was thrown at him and he ran into the bathroom, laughing.

Squall got up off the bed, picking up the cushion that he had thrown and putting it back on the bed, he picked up some money from his wallet and stuffed it into his pockets, leaving the hotel room. It was getting late and he was hungry, and no doubt Zell was too even if he was annoyed with the blonde for saying stupid things he knew Zell would be doubly annoying if he wasn't fed. He froze as he took one step out of the hotel as girl stepped right in front of him. A blonde, the blonde who had just been coming on to Zell. He stopped, frowned and tried to side step her but she moved back into his way. Another female voice laughed to his right. He again tried to side step her, faster this time but she still got in his way.

"Go away." He frowned and folded his arms.

She copied his stance, also folding her arms. "Your friend said you'd would to meet us…. But he's a lot nicer than you are."

"Good for him." He said coldly and this time managed to step around her. "He's wrong, I'm not interested."

"Where are you going?"

"To get food." He answered.

"Can we come?"

"No." He walked faster just in case they decided to chase him.

Winhill had more food take away places then he was expecting. Pizza, burgers, Trabian food, Estharian food. He frowned, looking around at all the shops. Pizza was safe, no hotdogs unfortunately. If he had found hotdogs he was sure it would have shut Zell up for at least half an hour.

III

Zell towelled off his hair as he left the bathroom completely naked, he had heard Squall leave so hadn't bothered to cover up. He was hopping around, trying to get into some boxers when the door opened and Squall came face to face with Zell's ass, which his traitorous eyes were instantly drawn to. Squall just stood there watching the other man until he gotten his shorts on and turned around looking sheepish.

"That was quick." Zell said, leaning on the chest of drawers behind him, his cheeks turning pink.

"You just take too long in the shower." Squall argued, walking to the foot of the bed where he put down the two pizza boxes.

"Ooh you brought pizza!" Zell grinned, leaping onto the bed, kneeling beside the food.

Squall nodded. "Thought you'd be hungry."

"You know me man, I'm always hungry!" The blonde grinned broadly, opening one of the pizza boxes and inhaling the scent.

"Mmmm." He moaned.

Zell picked up a slice of pizza, catching a trail of cheese on his tongue and gliding the slice into his mouth. He closed his eyes at the first taste of pizza and moaned again in pleasure. He opened his eyes and looked up at Squall who hadn't moved from the foot of the bed and was staring at him oddly.

"Squall?" He asked. "Hey!" He clicked his fingers to get the brunette's attention.

Squall jumped. "Huh?"

"Are you okay? You haven't touched the food." He shuffled along the bed, taking one box with him and pushed the other towards Squall.

"Sorry, guess I zoned out and went to a strange place." A VERY strange place. His mind added. He gingerly sat on the bed next to the other man while being carefully not to brush against him. This place was having a strange affect on his brain, maybe it was the close proximity and him being single since Rinoa and Zell laying all over him that morning. He nodded, that had to be it. Out of all his male friends Zell was the only one hadn't fantasized about. He had dreams about Irvine, the guy was sex on legs and there was an incident while training with Seifer in where they fell on top of each other sparking an interesting dream at night but Zell…. He just never seen him _that _way. Zell was like a puppy, cute but irritating after too long. A puppy that followed him around and barked constantly at him, thank god he was house trained. He smirked at his inner thought.

"What?" Zell asked, seeing Squall smile.

"Nothing." He said. "Just thinking that's all."

"You're always thinking, what do you think about? Tell me."

Squall frowned. "I don't know, this and that, the usual." He shrugged.

"You thin about everything like a hundred times. Me, I just say stuff."

Squall gave him a look. "I noticed, like when you told Selphie's friend that she had a big ass."

Zell stared. "I did not say that!! Who told you? Did Irvine-?"

"I was there, remember?"

Zell just frowned and picked up another slice of pizza. He chewed silently for two whole minutes.

"It's not that I was being mean, she asked, didn't she?"

"Yeah but you could have been tactful."

"And just glare at her like you?"

Squall didn't say anything.

"I don't think she liked any of us anyway, Irvine was being his usual flirtatious self and you were glaring at her I don't think she liked either of you at least I was friendly until-"

"Until you called her fat."

"I did not-!" He started to yell then sighed. "Let's just change the subject, you remember it your way and I'll know the truth."

Squall shrugged. "Fine."

They ate in silence until Zell's pizza was gone then he sat and studied Squall's pizza that he was eating way too slowly.

"Take a slice if you want." The brunette say without looking at him.

"Really?!" Zell beamed and took some. "Thanks Squall, you're the best." He munched his way through it.

"You didn't get any dessert did you?"

Squall gave him a sideways look. "You're still hungr- Oh." He stopped himself because this was Zell, of course he was still hungry.

"No I didn't think of it, sorry."

Zell shrugged. "S'okay I'll go downstairs I bet the lady will give me something."

Squall rolled his eyes. "You've become like her pet."

Zell laughed. "Nah she's just a nice lady." He got up, picking up the two empty pizza boxes and walked out with them.

Squall finished off the slice in his hand, sliding back up the bed to lean on the headboard. He took a sip from his can of beer when Zell bounced back into the room beaming.

"Well?" Squall asked.

"Look!" He shoved a bowlful of fruit salad under his nose, sliced and chopped apples, bananas, some red things and some other things.

Squall nodded. "Great." He said quietly.

The blonde perched on the chair by the window balancing the bowl on his knees, picking up fruit with his fingers, sticking his tongue out and placing the fruit on it. He then licked his fingers clean from the juice. Squall was trying to not to watch those pink lips wrap around Zell's fingers.

"Having fun?" He asked casually.

Zell nodded happily, getting up and coming over to the bed, dipping his fingers into the bowl he held out a slice of apple. "Open." He said, touching the fruit to Squall's lips.

Stormy eyes narrowed. "I'm not a child."

"Come on Squall, open up."

The frown continued but he opened his lips and took the slice into his mouth, his eyes met Zell's and he blushed when he 'accidentally' brushed his tongue against the blonde's fingers. Zell was looking at him in an odd way and he was getting…. Nearer. The brunette jumped to his feet quickly causing Zell leap away from the bed almost dropping his precious food.

"I-I-I err have to --err-" He ran into the bathroom, slamming the door.

III

Zell winced as the door slammed. He sat on the edge of the bed, eating his fruit. Oops. Perhaps that wasn't sure a good idea after all, he had only wanted to tease the brunette slightly, he didn't think Squall would even notice. He had never noticed before. If he made a not so innocent comment usually Squall wouldn't think anything of it.

He almost jumped out of his skin when the phone rang, placing the bowl on the bed he reached for his phone. "Hello?"

"Hi Zell, it's us! How's it going?"

"Oh hey Quistis, it's going…. Fine I guess."

"You guess?" Another voice asked.

"Am I on speaker phone?" He asked.

"Yep!" Selphie cheered.

"Who else is there? I don't want to tell everyone."

"Just us, you know me, Selphie, Irvine…. And err- Fujin and Seifer."

He groaned into the phone.

"And what you mean 'you don't want to tell everyone'? There's something to tell?"

"Not really." He said. "It's not going too badly, we get on most of the time, apart from when he locked me out for being too annoying."

He heard Seifer laugh in the background. "When is Zell _not_ annoying?"

"Hey! I heard that asshole!" He yelled at Seifer.

"Well I said it loud."

"Hey! Don't be-"

"Okay, okay guys!" Quistis interrupted. "You can fight when they get home okay? So we I talk to Squall?"

"Oh well um- he kind of locked himself in the bathroom at the moment."

He heard giggles and laugher down the phone.

"But this wasn't the same thing and totally not my fault!"

"Really?"

"Well…. Mostly not my fault…. Or well okay maybe it was a little bit but not intently."

"What happened?"

"Nothing really, I just fed him some apple and he freaked out and locked him in the bathroom." He fidgeted on the bed.

"That's it?"

"Yeah."

"Maybe he's allergic to apples." Seifer suggested.

Everyone scoffed.

"I don't think so."

"When you said fed, do you mean your hand to his mouth?" Selphie asked.

"Yeah."

They all 'ooooh-ed'.

"Well maybe he doesn't want to catch your gayness." Seifer said.

"Look who's talking asshole! You're as gay as I am!"

"Maybe he went in there to jack off." Seifer said.

There was a chorus of 'ewww'.

The lock clicked on the bathroom door and Zell jumped to his feet. "He's coming out so you can talk to him but don't mention anything I just said okay?"

"Okay." Quistis said.

Squall opened the door and looked out, Zell held out the phone. "It's everyone." He said.

The brunette took the phone silently and then instead of coming out, he went back into the bathroom and shut the door.

III

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Part 6.

III

Squall sighed in his sleep, hands moved over his skin gentling exploring him. He stretched slightly moving into the light touch. Fingers ghosted over his back, sides, over his hips, skirting around his groin and down his thighs. The brunette moaned gently, opening an eye watching the hands move over his skin from behind. He lay on his side on the bed, not his bed he wasn't sure where he was. A warm body moved closer and pressed up against him, a strong chest against his back. He moved back into the warmth, sighing lightly. One of the hands ran up his body and across his chest while the other ran down. Fingers brushed his hard cock teasingly, trailing up and down across his groin. He shifted, trying to get more of that touch. The hand suddenly cupped his erection and he let out a broken cry. The body pressing closer still and warm lips pressed into his throat, along his jaw line seeking out his pulse and sucking on his skin. He panted, running a hand back to tangle in short hair. He moved his hips in time with the hand that was now wrapped around his erection and stroking him. He whimpered and moaned.

He jumped a little when he realized that his… friend had an erection of his own and it was pressing into the small of his back, he had been unconsciously rubbing back against him. Squall closed his eyes, arching his neck to give those lips better access to his throat.

When he opened his eyes again he blinked, frowned and rubbed his face. Squall shook off his sleepy confusion. What the-?

It was a dream? He blinked. Of course it was a dream, but it had seemed so real. Why the hell would he dream something like that? That he was in bed with a mysterious male lover. He then became aware of the head resting on his shoulder from behind. He looked back as best he could to see blonde hair again. He sighed in annoyance. Zell was using him as a pillow again and he was pretty much pinned to the bed. He could feel the other man's body heat, it was suddenly very hot in that room. He still had an erection, not at all helped by Zell all pressed up against him.

"Zell?" He said, pushing at the little blonde slightly with his arm.

The blonde muttered something in his sleep and snuggled into him more, his hand brushing against the brunette's groin getting an unmanly squeak out of him. He quickly grabbed the little blonde's arm and moved it away, placing the offending hand on his own hip. The blonde sighed in his sleep but didn't wake up. Squall too sighed in both annoyance and relief.

Zell moved in his sleep again this time pressing his face into the side of Squall's neck. The brunette froze. He was being molested by his sleeping male friend. When that tongue came out to taste his skin he jumped and elbowed the blonde.

"Zell!" He yelled.

The blonde came awake with a pained groan, holding his stomach where he was elbowed. "Ow, what the-?" He sat up and blinked at Squall who glared at him. The brunette also sat up, making sure the covers where pulled up to cover his erection.

"What the fuck was that for?!" He asking, rubbing his stomach. "That hurt!"

Squall got up from the bed and stalked quickly into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him leaving the confused Zell sitting on the bed in pain.

The blonde groaned and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Well he sure was grumpy in the morning.

III

Squall groaned, holding his head and peered into the mirror in despair. Maybe Quistis was right, obviously he was going crazy. Too much work, not enough play. He did not find Zell attractive. This was just withdraw symptoms from… well not from Rinoa because that never worked out. Thank god Seifer wasn't there or he'd say he was going through a late puberty.

He turned the taps on and splashed his face with warm water to wake himself up, he looked up at himself in the glass. Maybe this going to Deling thing wasn't a bad idea after all he could meet lots of guys and girls who were hotter than Zell.

He turned and switched on the shower, waiting for the water to warm up before he stepped under the spray. He sighed and tilted his head back to wet his hair. He'd decided, he would spend the day as far away from the blonde as possible and then find a rental car to take them to Deling. Maybe he could get a car and go to Deling without telling Zell? He shook his head, no that would never work and if it did he'd never hear the end of it when he got back to garden.

He soaped up his hands and washed himself under the spray.

So…. if he was so decided and obviously not interested in Zell then why…? He glanced down at his traitorous body. He was still half hard. He groaned, touching himself with only a finger. Maybe he would just get rid of the temptation that lingered from that stupid dream. Stupid dream of a faceless male lover…. Obviously not Zell. He had had dream about men before, people he'd seen on TV, the head guard in the presidential palace and…. Irvine. The cowboy had done a strip tease for Selphie's last talent night, from looking around the faces of the people in the room he wasn't the only one.

He wrapped a hand around his lingering erection just slowly stroking at first as he tried to think of someone, anyone except Zell. He shut his eyes.

Fingers trailed over his wet torso, exploring his skin, down his back, his hips, squeezing his ass as a husky chuckle breathed in his ear when a gasp left his lips. That mouth ghosted over his ear, a tongue flicking out to tease. Fingers ghosted just past his erection, driving him crazy.

"Do you want me to touch you?" A voice whispered to him.

He whimpered, trying to press closer to the other man but he remained just out of reach.

"Yes." He hissed out his reply.

He felt the grin against his skin and a hand moved to gently cup his erection, a finger stroking the head. Lips found his as the hand started to stroke him firmly and quickly in a rhythm. His lover's other hand moved to grip the back his head, fingers tangling in his hair as they kissed. Squall groaned into it, his strength leaving him as he neared orgasm. He opened his eyes and gazed drunkenly into those baby blues. The other man held him up when his knees gave out and he came into his lover's hand crying out his lover's name.

"Zell." He whispered as he came into his own hand, his other hand on the tiled wall opposite to lean against. He sighed, panting for air and groaned when he realized what he had done.

"Fuck." He whispered. He was crazy, he had gone crazy.

He stepped forward and leaned his head on the cold wall, the spray had gone cold now but hell a cold shower might do him some good.

III

Zell pulled out some clean boxers from his bag. He had hoped for a shower first but Squall had not come out of the bathroom for over an hour now and when he asked he said he was busy. How busy can you be in the bathroom for that long? He was going to need the toilet soon. He turned his back on the bathroom door and pushed his bed boxers down where they pooled at his feet. He reached for his clean pair, now completely naked.

The bathroom door opened, Zell turned with his clean underwear in his hand.

"Squ-?"

The door slammed shut again and he jumped. "What the-?!" He walked up to the door and knocked. "Squall?! What the hell's wrong with you?" He shook his head and turned to put some clothes. He stepped into his underwear and pulled on some pants and then went to the door. Maybe the lady downstairs would let him use her bathroom.

III

When the little blonde left the room the bathroom door opened and Squall peered out, cautiously just in case Zell was still there and naked again like the last time he managed to try and leave. He only had a towel on, he hopped quickly across the room and grabbed some clothes and then went back to safety. He shut the door and leant on it to pull on his underwear and pants. He was determined to go the whole day without seeing Zell it would do him the world of good.

The phone started to ring he opened the door to go and get it, he walked two steps before the front door opened and Zell came in. The blonde spotted Squall as he turned to go back into the bathroom.

"Wait!" He pointed a finger at him. "Just wait right there!"

The brunette stopped and waited as Zell answered the phone.

"Hello?" He asked, looking at Squall to make sure he didn't dive back into the bathroom the second he looked away.

"Oh hey Selphie." He smiled slightly.

"Yeah it's going okay I guess."

He made a face at whatever she said. "Well it's just that-" He looked up and glared at the brunette. "Squall's been crazy today."

Said crazy brunette was staring at Zell's chest, the blonde had yet to put on a shirt and every time he shifted from foot to foot or moved between frustrated folded arms to uptight glaring his muscles shifted in his chest, his upper arms his-

"Squall!"

He jumped and looked up, blinking. "Hmm?" He lowered his eyes, knowing he was blushing. Traitorous face.

Zell was holding out something. He paused. Oh! The phone, he held out the phone. Squall reached across and took it.

"Thanks." He mumbled, ignoring the glare and turned to face the wall as he put the phone to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Squall! It's Selphie."

Squall just nodded once.

"Zell says you're crazy."

"I am crazy." He agreed.

"O-kay." Selphie said slowly. "What happened?"

Squall looked over his shoulder at Zell who still stood with his arms folded waiting for Squall to get off the phone. "Didn't you want to use the bathroom?" Squall asked.

"I did but-"

"Well couldn't you do that now?" Squall asked.

Zell frowned. He already went downstairs but if it got Squall off the phone quicker then…. "Yeah okay." He crossed the room, noticing how the brunette watched his every move until he shut the door to the bathroom. Zell then pressed his ear to the door to try and listen in.

III

"So?" Selphie asked.

"I think I- Wait, I'm not on speakerphone again am I?"

There was a pause. "Well-"

"Selphie! Take me off speakerphone."

"But Squall, there's only me and Quistis here."

"And Irvine." Quistis' voice added.

"Take me off speakerphone and put Quistis on."

"But-"

"I don't want to talk to you anymore."

"Squall! I'm sorry! Please tell me!"

There was a click as speakerphone was turned off and a fumbling sound as the phone was passed over or more likely stolen.

"Squall? It's me."

The brunette frowned. "Rinoa?"

"Selphie told me what they did to you, honestly I go away for a while and look what happens…." She sighed. "Anyway why are you crazy?"

"I…. I'm off speakerphone right?"

"Yep."

"Promise?"

She chuckled. "I promise."

There was a pause.

"Squall? Are you still there?"

"I had a dream."

"And?"

"And I've had…. Thoughts… about…." He sighed. "Someone I shouldn't."

"Oh." There was a pause. "Is it me?"

"No."

She sighed in relief. "Oh thank god."

"What do you mean 'thank god'? What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing!" She quickly said. "Nothing just- you know- I just got over you and everything… so who is she?"

Squall bit his lip, eyes going to the bathroom door. "It's probably nothing, I'm just going crazy or sick or something or-"

"Squall!"

"Zell." He whispered.

"Huh?"

"It's Zell." He said louder.

There was a long pause so long that he thought maybe she's hung up or dropped the phone in shock. "Oh." She said, finally.

"Yeah." He agreed.

"I didn't- err- didn't realize you- err- had those thoughts-"

"I didn't." He insisted. "Until Selphie and all them dragged me here and made me crazy and now I'm here and he's here and- I have to leave."

"Leave?"

"Tonight! I'll leave tonight."

"And go where?"

Squall shook his head. "I don't know but if I stay I'll go insane."

"Hmm."

"What?"

"You know I'm sure Zell wouldn't be that unhappy if you-" She giggled. "If you-"

"Don't even finish that sentence." He warned.

She laughed.

"It's never going to happen."

"Oh! But I think you'll made such a cute couple and-"

He hung up.

"Hello? Hello?" She frowned at the phone. "He hung up." She explained to Selphie.

"Oh poopie. I wanted to talk to him."

III

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Part 7.

-

IIII

Squall lay back on the sand, his eyes closed against the sun, one arm under his head relaxing. He had got up in the middle of the night, gone for a little walk, which then turned into a long distance walk. He didn't really know where he was going but now he had found this little secluded beach a few miles from the town. It was late morning, he had walked for hours. Maybe he was finally free from his annoying babysitter. The sun had felt really nice on his skin that he fallen asleep for a little while. Now his skin ached, burned in the sun. His sleeveless shirt, which he had shed was now draped over his chest as he tried, in vain, to fit his arms underneath it too.

The sea was calm and very inviting, he was just thinking about a dip to cool himself off when he heard the sound of a car approaching. He sat up and glanced over his shoulder. He hadn't heard or seen anyone since he got there. A car stopped on the grass up the steps behind him and Zell got out.

The brunette groaned.

"You asshole!" The little blonde slammed the car door and ran down the steps, jumping the last three, feet landing heavily on the sand.

"I looked everywhere for you!"

"Didn't think you'd be up yet, it's not even noon." Squall said.

Zell stalked up to him, standing between Squall and his view of the ocean. "I called garden-"

Squall groaned again.

"-Told them you were gone, everyone's been worried about you." The blonde had his hands on his jean clad hips, he had on a button up shirt, which was undone and blowing backwards in the breeze and the sleeves were rolled up as far as possible.

"I just went for a walk." Squall said with a little shrug.

"A walk?! This far?! You- You're crazy!" He pointed at him.

The brunette didn't say anything just looked up at him.

Zell sighed heavily. "And now my shoes are full of sand." He plopped down behind Squall and pulled his shoes off tipping them upside down to pour out a load of sand.

They just sat there in silence for a minute, Zell set his shoes down, glanced at Squall then out at the sea.

Squall moved his shirt to cover his shoulders more, now that he was sitting up his back really felt hot.

"You should have brought a jacket." Zell said.

"Didn't think of it." Squall admitted. "Just got up and left."

"Why?" He shot him an accusing look. "Would you have left in the middle of the night if you'd have come here with Rinoa or Irvine or-or Seifer….?"

Squall quirked up an eyebrow at the last name.

"Well maybe not the last one." Zell took back.

"I might have jumped in the river to get away from Seifer." Squall smiled slightly.

Zell grinned. "Me too." He chuckled. "See? We do have something in common." His gaze slipped from Squall's to his lap then out to sea again.

"It's nice here." He said after a minute of more silence.

"Yeah." Squall said softly, rubbed his hot shoulders again.

Zell rolled down the sleeves of the shirt and took it off, holding it out to Squall. The brunette blinked at him in surprise.

He gestured the shirt at him more. "Take it." He said.

Squall took it. "Thanks." He said, moving his own shirt into his lap and putting on the one that Zell was given him, doing up two of the middle buttons enough to keep the sun out. It was little big on him, Zell maybe shorter than Squall, he had littler legs but he had wider shoulders and more muscle so it felt a little loose.

"I'd offer you mine but-" He shrugged.

Zell grinned. "Yeah I don't think I'd get into that."

"So… did you come to take me back to the hotel?" Squall asked.

"I came to find you." Zell said, staring at the sea and not looking at Squall.

"I hadn't really thought past finding you." He admitted.

"Oh."

"Do you want to go back?" Zell asked.

"I don't have much choice do I? Can't stay here forever."

"But do you _want _to?" Zell studied him.

The brunette shrugged. "Not really, no." He draw lines in the sand with his fingers. "It's just there's nothing to do there."

"You mean _you're_ bored, _you_!"

Squall gave him a look.

Zell just grinned. "What do you want to do then?"

Squall frowned as if in thought.

Zell waited…. And waited…. And then sighed.

"Oh come on Squall, you think way too much." He shuffled over and knelt in front of the brunette. "If you could do one thing, anything right now, what would it be?" He held up one finger in front of Squall's face.

He waited for a response, he watched his friend's eyes go down to his waistband and slowly trail up his bare torso to his face and stare into his eyes. He swallowed hard in shock and pushed up to put space between the two of them. Maybe the sun was getting to Squall too much. The brunette then cocked his head to the side and stared past Zell at the sea.

"We could leave."

"Leave?" Zell asked in confusion.

Squall nodded. "We have the car, we could just go…. Go to…. Deling or wherever you want to go."

"But all our stuff is still in Winhill."

Squall shrugged. "We've paid for the room till the end of the month they should keep our stuff and we'll go back there…. Eventually." He looked up at Zell hopefully.

The blonde opened his mouth to come up with another argument but then couldn't think of one and closed it again, jumping to his feet. "Let's go then."

Squall raised an eyebrow. "Really? You want to?"

Zell grinned. "Why not?"

The brunette shrugged. "I was waiting for you to tell me it was a bad idea."

"Nah, if we go to Deling…." He grinned. "I get to see you dance."

Squall frowned. "On seconds thoughts…."

Zell laughed and stood over the brunette pulling him to his feet by the hand. "Let's go." He started to pull him up the beach and then stopped, looking back at Squall, teeth worrying his bottom lip. "Wait, do you have any money?"

Squall pulled his wallet out of the back pocket. "Got my cards."

The grin came back full force and he continued walking.

"So I'll be paying for everything will I?" Squall asked.

He received a sheepish grin. "Well it was your idea."

The brunette snorted.

They got the top of the steps and Zell sat in the driver seat of the car, waiting for Squall to get in.

"We can share a room again, it'll be cheaper." He said, starting the engine. He was about to drive off when the faced Squall again with that worried look again. "Unless you want to….."

"Want to….?"

"Err-" He glanced away, flushing slightly. "Take anyone back to your room or anything."

"I can share." Squall said.

The blonde grinned again. "Cool." He put the car in gear and drove off towards Deling City.

IIII

It was dark by the time they got to Deling and the streets were full of people. What the hell-? Is this all people from this town did? Wait until dark and then walked up and down the streets. Zell muttered his curses as the drove at about five mph to avoid hitting anyone. A guy stepped of the curb and walked blindly in front of their car.

"Get out of the way, asshole!"

Zell yelled at him, teeth bared.

He was suddenly aware of this sound, something he had never heard before. He glanced to his left and gaped. Squall had laughed at him, well maybe more of a soft chuckle, he still sort of smiled. He had never heard Squall laugh before and only seen him smile at other people. He quickly flicked his eyes back to the road, the car in front braked sharply causing him to stop quickly too. "Son of a-" He cursed, fingers gripping the steering wheel.

Eventually they pulled up outside a hotel, not the main hotel in the high street because Squall said staying the same hotel as his father had with Rinoa's mum was creepy. They checked in and Squall paid for the room.

"This is awesome!" Zell beamed, running over the glass doors that lead to the balcony. He opened them and stepped out, looking down. They were on the top floor so it was quite peaceful, they could hear the traffic but it was distant.

"Hmmm." Squall said, leaning on the door frame watching Zell practically hang off the railing.

"We need to buy some things." Squall said.

Zell straightened. "Yeah, like food. I haven't eaten in…." He paused to count on his fingers. "Oh my god! In seven hours! Wow!"

"You were eating in the car." Squall said.

"No, that was just sweets, crisps and stuff. I need real food."

Squall rolled his eyes. "We'll go get food, I was thinking of clothes, toothpaste and stuff."

Zell blinked, looking down as if remembering that all he had with him to wear were the jeans he had on the shirt that was on Squall. "Oh yeah." He looked sheepish. "Maybe we should have brought some stuff with us."

Squall raised his eyebrows in a 'You think?' sort of expression. He pushed off the doorframe. "The clothes shops will be shut soon so I'm going to go now."

"But- But- what about food?" Zell pouted like a child.

"You can get the food for both of us." He gave Zell a look. "You will save me some won't you?"

"Of course." He grinned.

Squall stared harder at him.

The grin faltered. "I'll try, alright!"

"The last time you got the food for all of us in Balamb you ate it all."

"Well you all took ages and it would have gone to waste! I hate to see food go to waste."

Squall's lips quirked up slightly at the edges. "I know you do."

He walked to the door, grabbing his wallet from the bed. Zell followed him.

"If you manage not to eat all the food I'll….. I'll get you something."

Zell's eyes lit up. "Really? Like what?"

"I don't know yet."

Zell's blue eyes sparkled in the light, a big grin lit up his face. "I'll be good."

"Hmm." Squall said with a nod and left the room.

III

Selphie grabbed the phone on the first ring. "Zell?"

"Yeah it's me."

"Where the hell have you been?!" She yelled down the phone so loud that Zell whined and held the phone away from his ear.

"We -err- went on a little trip."

"A trip?"

"To Deling, we're err in Deling city, in a hotel."

The little brunette blinked. "Seriously? Squall went along with that?"

"Yeah, he's gone out to get stuff as we err- kinda didn't bring any stuff with us, no clothes no nothing we just got up and went." He shrugged.

"So err- you two aren't-" She giggled slightly. "Are you?"

He laughed lounging back on the bed. "No, I wouldn't go that far."

"No?" She sounded all disappointed. "My plan didn't work?"

"Plan? You'd better not tell Squall that you planned anything."

"I would have thought he'd be grateful."

Zell scoffed. "I'm dragging him to a club later and hopefully-" He grinned. "I'll get to see him dance."

Selphie squee-d into the phone. "Squall can dance?"

"Well I'll find out won't I?" He grinned.

She bounced on the spot. "You had to ring me later, I expect updates!"

"I know you do and I will!"

"I so wish I was there with you, you know maybe I could-"

"Oh! I have to go Selphie, Squall's back!"

"Wait! Zell-"

He hung up and she stared at the phone with a little pout.

"Ohhhhhh." She whined.

Tbc


	8. Chapter 8

Part 8.

-

Squall walked past all the shops in the high street. This place was so weird having all the shops open in the dark. He already had a bagful of toiletries for himself and Zell; he had toothpaste, brush etc. He just got two of everything and the other man would have to put up with his taste in things if he was too hungry to shop for himself. He turned towards the clothes shops; he'd get a few things for Zell to wear but no god awful baggy jean shorts. He smirked to himself as he remembered the girls trying to wean Zell off his hideous shorts. He paused outside an alternative clothing store that he had been in before on the last trip to Deling. They stocked his type of clothes, lots of leather. He took two steps forward to walk past but his legs didn't respond. Zell did mention something about clubbing.... so he should look the part right? He walked into the shop and looked around.

He glanced around the whole shop, leather everywhere, some plain clothes, some with buckles, zips, hanging straps and things and in the other corner there was a bondage area. The girl at the till smiled at him as he walked past, his gaze focused on the small ring piercing her lower lip. The brunette stopped in front of a pair of black tight leather pants, much like his own only they had two zips up three inches on both legs. He reached out to touch the soft leather between two fingers. He thought about buying them for Zell to go clubbing in. He stared up at them, his mind wandering off to fantasy land as he imagined his sexy blonde friend wearing them. The thought made him feel warmer and he worried he might have blushed in public. He quickly picked up the pants still touching the material between his fingers and turned to pay for them. He stopped when he walked past the same pants that he had hanging in his cupboard back at garden, the ones that Zell had wanted to pack, the ones that the blonde had wanted to see him wear. He stopped and looked at him, definitely blushing this time as he imagined modelling them for his blonde friend. He shrugged off that idea, putting them back on the rail. That wasn't part of the plan; he had agreed to come here to get over Zell. He was sure the only reason he had these new feelings was because he was trapped with only Zell for company. All he had to do was get out into the real world and these feelings would drop away. He turned to go.... then changed his mind again and grabbed a pair on the way past.

-

When Squall opened the door the first thing he noticed was the smell of pizza. The next thing was that Zell was sitting on the bed next to a closed pizza box trying to look innocent.

"I wasn't doing anything." He said as the brunette looked at him, causing Squall to raise an eyebrow.

"You're back!" Zell cheered. "I got pizza." He opened the box to reveal a large meaty pizza. "I already had mine." He said, hovering over Squall's pizza.

The brunette set the bags down near the bed and then took a seat on the mattress. He handed a bag to Zell. "Here I brought you some toothpaste and stuff."

"Oh thanks!" He grinned.

"And err-" Squall blushed, handing over another small bag. "These, I err didn't know if you wore those or err...."

Zell pulled out a pair of blue boxers and grinned. "These are fine. Thanks."

Squall picked up a slice for pizza watching Zell watch him. "You can have a slice if you like."

Zell's eyes flicked between Squall's face and the pizza. "Err- Nah that's okay." He smiled tightly. "I did just have a-a whole- err-"

Squall looked amused and waved a piece of pizza at the blonde. "Here, take it."

"Really?"

"Really."

Zell beamed and took the slice. "Thanks Squall, you're the best."

Squall nodded watching Zell devour his slice in five seconds flat. "I brought you some dessert too." He reached down to his bags and handed the blonde a small pink bakery box. Zell's eyes lit up as he opened the box to reveal two cream and jam filled puff pastries. "Just what I wanted, how did you know?"

Squall gave him a look. "You always want food, you think with your stomach."

The blonde shrugged. "Better than what Irvine thinks with." He grinned and carefully picked up his pastry, biting into it and getting cream all over his hands in the process.

Squall nodded in amused agreement.

"Is this my present for not eating all the food?" He asked.

To his surprise Squall blushed slightly and ducked his head, looking embarrassed and flustered. "...Yes." He said.

Zell frowned, wondering what was wrong with his friend but he knew that Squall would never tell him so he shrugged it off.

"Want to go out tonight?" Zell asked.

Squall looked a little nervous.

"I know this great club at the edge of town, I went there as a cadet."

Squall raised an eyebrow. "When you were underage?" He teased.

"Err- Well..." The blonde looked sheepish. "Anyway I got in with a bunch of friends or at least err some other cadets."

"From garden?"

"Yeah, Takai, Nida and err- Seifer." He mumbled the last name quickly but Squall still heard him.

"You went to a club with Seifer?!"

"And a bunch of others!"

"I thought you hated him."

"I did! I do! But it wasn't like we danced together or anything; I barely saw the others once we got inside." He put Squall's now empty pizza box on the floor and nudged the last pastry in his direction. "Anyway I just remember it being a good place to go although..." He trailed off.

"What?"

"Well it's a bi-sexual club I guess you'd want to stick to straight clubs huh?"

Squall shrugged. "I don't mind, wherever you want to go is fine."

"Okay." Zell nodded. "We'll go there... I can't remember what the place is called though."

"You can't remember?"

He shrugged. "Well it was a long time ago and I was pretty drunk."

Squall raised an eyebrow. "Bet the instructors were pleased with you lot coming in drunk."

He grinned. "We did get into some trouble but it wasn't- The puma!" He suddenly shouted out and then faltered. "No wait..... That wasn't it." He chewed his bottom lip. "I remember that it was something really lame and we all had a good laugh about it on the way in." He grinned. "Seifer was the one who introduced us to the place and it had a really crappy name that we teased him about."

Squall frowned as he watched the blonde laugh about a name he couldn't remember.

"Oh crap." Zell said suddenly. "I haven't got anything to wear."

"I just brought you clothes."

"No I mean clubbing clothes."

"Oh." Squall blushed again before digging into his bag. "I got you.... err these." He handed over a pair of leather pants, which looked like the sort of thing Squall would wear, and a couple of smart dress shirts. "I err don't know if you like them or not."

Zell mouth opened and closed like a fish, for once he had no words.

Squall took his silence to be a bad time. "Well I think I have the receipt in here somewhere." He started to dig in his bags again but Zell grabbed his arm.

"I love them, really." He grinned. "I just can't believe you brought me leather."

Squall shrugged, looking embarrassed. "I know how to buy leather, I used to it."

Zell chuckled. "Guess you are." He jumped up from the bed, grabbing his new clothes. "I'll model them for you." He winked.

Squall tried to protest but Zell ran so fast that the blonde didn't hear him.

The bathroom door shut behind him and Squall sighed. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. He had brought the sexy blonde some sexy new clothes to make him look even more.... well.... sexy. How was he supposed to keep his eyes to himself now? Operation: Get over Zell had just taken an unexpected turn.

The bathroom door opened breaking him out of his thoughts. The little blonde walked out slowly, it was weird not to see Zell bounce but then he could only just breathe in there.

The leather moulded itself to the blonde's muscled legs. Squall's gaze ran up one leg from the knee to the groin, he blushed when he realized where he was looking. Zell hadn't noticed his staring gaze he bent one knee back testing the flexibly.

"They're a bit restricting."

His shirt wasn't tucked in and the top two buttons were undone to reveal his collarbone and throat and he was fiddling with his cuffs, trying to do up his sleeve buttons.

"That's the idea." Squall said from suddenly right in front of him.

Zell jumped and looked up quickly. Squall had closed the gap and his eyes seemed fixed on the exposed skin at his throat. Squall picked up one of Zell's sleeves and did up the buttons for him.

Zell glanced up into Squall's eyes and blinked in surprise. The brunette was.... checking him out. Zell swallowed visibly watching Squall stare at him. Squall's fingers stayed on the cuff in his hands even though he had already done the button up. The blonde held up the other arm. Squall blinked and his eyes snapped up to Zell's baby blues for a second and then glanced at the last button, which he did up quickly and stepped back as if he hadn't just been eyeing up his friend. Zell thought maybe he had imagined it.

"How am I supposed to breathe in here?" He asked; touching his thigh and feeling how tight the leather was. This time he definitely saw Squall's eyes follow the caress and he mentally smiled. It was nice to know he had that sort of affect on someone as sexy and sought after as Squall.

"What did you get for you to wear?" He asked. "Not a matching pair, right?" He smirked.

"No." He glanced down and blushed slightly looking all embarrassed and then he dug through his last bag.

"I sort of re-brought ...... These." He pulled out a pair of leather pants.

Zell grabbed them and inspected them, seeing the zippers, poppers, chains and studs all the way down the legs. His eyes flicked up to Squall's and slowly grinned. "You brought them again? Seriously?!"

Squall nodded. "I'll sell the other ones."

"Or you could keep them and have a back up pair?" Zell suggested.

Squall held them up against himself. "Why would I want two pairs of trousers that look the same?"

Zell shrugged, reaching out to touch the soft leather between two fingers and holding it up and into Squall's thigh. "Well... you know... one for company and one for... private." He looked up through his lashes in a hopeful shy way.

Squall scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Now if Quistis had listened to me in the first place when I wanted to bring them then you wouldn't have had to buy them again." He looked up at Squall. "So...?" He grinned. "Are you going to try them on for me?"

Squall glanced at the bathroom. "I guess."

Zell ran a hand through his hair. "I ready to go when you are."

"You are?"

Zell looked down and chewed his lip. "I might need shoes."

Squall smiled slightly. "You might." He agreed, heading into the bathroom with his trousers.

Zell was drinking a beer when Squall walked out of the bathroom; he headed straight for his shopping bags to grab a t shirt.

The blonde almost choked on his drink when he saw Squall shirtless, his legs encased in leather pants that were tighter than Zell's pair. The brunette seemed to have no trouble walking in the constricting trousers. The zips and buckles jiggled as he walked, they sat low on his hips. Low enough to show off the top of the trail of dark hair that lead down to his.... his... Zell's tore his eyes away. He should not be thinking about Squall's groin.

The brunette pulled out a silver dress shirt and sadly covered his lean, muscled, tanned, gorgeous.....

He turned to face the wall. Walls were safe.

"So? Do I look okay?" Squall asked, he actually sounded insecure.

Zell's eyes swivelled back to Squall. "Okay? You're sex on legs!"

The brunette looked taken back and he glanced down. "Thank you." He muttered.

He looked at Zell's still bare feet. "Shoes?" He said.

Zell nodded. "Shoes." He said and then turned to find some, throwing everything upside down to find them.

Squall leant on the front door watching Zell put on his tatty sneakers.

"It's all I have." He said at Squall's expression. "It's a night club; it'll be dark in there."

"You hope." Squall said.

"There." He stood up and walked towards Squall. "Shut up!" He added upon seeing Squall's grimace. "Let's go."

He shoved Squall out the door ahead of him.

IIII

Haven't had a chance to read it through more than once yet so I might have missed a few errors.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Part 9

III

The club 'The limping lion' was packed solid with people. Zell had started laughing again at the name and even Squall cracked a smile. The brunette had stared in alarm from across the street until Zell managed to coax him forward.

"Come on it'll be fun, you'll like it." He said. "If you don't like it after an hour we'll go." He promised, though Squall doubted he meant it.

Zell didn't have ID but when the bouncers recognized Squall they let them in. The name 'Squall Leonhart' still carried weight in Galbadia. Zell squeezed through the crowd at the door and Squall followed him half losing each other at first in the doorway crush. Zell made for the bar and then stopped and waited for Squall.

The brunette squeezed through a gap between two groups of people. A girl turned and winked at him causing him to blink and back up. He glanced behind him; watching a tall man wearing just shorts and an open waistcoat; look him up and down appreciatively. He was not used to all this attention, sure I had noticed the girls giggle at him in the hallways of garden but this was different. He hurried after Zell quickly and leaned on the bar next to the blonde cautiously looking back the way he had come.

"What's wrong?" Zell asked, his lips brushing Squall's ear as he yelled over the music.

"People are looking at me." He shouted his reply.

Zell laughed. "Of course they are; you're gorgeous."

Squall blinked at him watching the blonde chuckle at him. "What do you want to drink?"

"Drink?" He frowned. "I don't know."

Zell gave him an amused look and just ordered two beers. He put the glass down in front of Squall. "Here you go."

"Thanks." The brunette took a couple of sips, looking out at the crowd and eyeing the dance floor.

"Did you want to dance?" Zell asked, as if he had just delved into his head and found out his worst nightmares.

Seeing the horrified look he laughed. "It's not that bad Squall." He pushed off the bar and for a minute Squall thought he was going to be forced into dancing but the blonde walked off towards some tables at one corner of the room. He stopped and looked over his shoulder gesturing for Squall to follow. They sat on a bench seat with their backs to the wall at a circular table. Zell had finished half his drink. He looked up to speak to Squall but he was staring off to his left at the next table.

"See something you like?" He asked.

There was a girl at that table, a pretty girl in a short skirt with a low cut top maybe Squall was looking at her. The girl in question had a guy attached on her neck; they were sitting close and were all over each other.

"Huh?" He brunette turned his attention back.

"What or who..." He grinned. "......Were you looking at?"

Squall gaped at him for a second that looked back at the couple this time Zell noticed that although the guy's lips were on his girlfriend his eyes were watching Squall.

The guy grinned at him over the girl shoulder.

Zell laughed. "Everyone thinks you're hot."

"Can't they think it quietly?" Squall grumbled. "I don't want everyone looking at me. This wouldn't have happened if I'd brought my gunblade."

Zell choked on his drink laughing. "What would you have done? Threatened everyone who looked interested in you?"

"Yes." He said, straight faced.

Zell wasn't sure if he was joking or not. "I can make them stop staring at you."

Squall looked up hopefully. "You can?"

He grinned wickedly. "Sure." He lifted one arm. "Come here."

"Why?" He asked suspiciously, eying the held out arm.

Zell made a 'come here' motion. Squall reluctantly shuffled nearer but not near enough so Zell sighed and closed the gap between them. He put his arm around Squall's shoulders and pulled him up close so their sides were pressed together. Squall fell forward, putting hand down to stead himself. His hand landed on Zell's thigh, it took him a second to notice but when he could feel the heat of his friend through his pants he snatched his hand back quickly. Zell chuckled at Squall's 'deer in headlights' expression.

"There you go, now you just have to stop looking like I'm molesting you against your will." He said, sounding amused. "Relax." He said, looking over Squall's shoulder and glaring at the guy who had been eying up Squall a second ago. He kept his eyes on the asshole guy and moved his head to nuzzle Squall's neck; long pieces of chocolate hair tickled his nose.

"What are you doing?" Squall said.

"Shh, I'm marking my territory."

Squall had one hand fisted in the material of Zell's dress shirt mostly because when his hand was flat he was tempted to explore. He could feel hard flat muscle beneath his palm, the gap between the buttons was right by his index finger temptingly. The feel of warm breath on the back of his neck was not helping, neither was the arm across his shoulder or the fingers tracing patterns in the top of his arm through his shirt. He tilted his head up slightly; his face was inches from Zell's collarbone and throat. If he was to lean forward a little he'd be.... He suddenly wondered what the other man's skin tasted like. Skin that was inches from his face... from his lips. He could find out.... though probably not without Zell noticing.

Zell had said something. He leaned back and frowned. "What?"

"I said we should go and dance." He stood up.

Squall started shaking his head. "I can't dance."

"Yes you can."

"No I can't, I've never tried before."

"It's easy, I can help you."

I bet you can. The brunette thought with a sigh. And let himself be dragged out to the dance floor, thankfully they didn't go too deeply into the crowd of dancers so he had an escape routine.

The song that was playing had an upbeat tempo. A Zell type of beat he thought as the little blonde was bouncing all the time anyway. He'd seen Selphie dance to something like this before at a party or two at garden.

Zell immediately started dancing along with the rest of the crowd he turned to face the hesitant Squall and reach out an arm to pull him in so that they were dancing in front of each other close but not couple close. Not like the couple behind them who were dancing out of time slowly and kissing each other, they'd soon be having sex on the dance floor at the rate they were going.

"See?" Zell said with a grin. "You can do it. It's not so bad is it?"

Squall had to admit it wasn't as bad as he thought and it did get him out of his awkward position with Zell earlier. Sadly as soon as he got into it the song ended and they put a slow track on. All the singles headed for the bar while the dance floor filled with couples. Squall turned to go back to their table when Zell grabbed his arm.

"Where are you going? You can't escape that easily. We've only had one song."

"But I can't dance to this."

"Why not? This is much easier and I've seen you slow dance with Rinoa."

He made a face. "I suppose." He said hesitantly. Dancing with Rinoa had been different she had been his girlfriend they were supposed to dance to songs like that and strangely dancing close with her near the end of their relationship hadn't turned him on half as much as the thought of dancing with Zell.

"Come here, it's easy." Zell said. "I'll show you."

The brunette again copied what everyone else was doing only he didn't know what to do with his hands. Zell didn't seem to have that trouble and wrapped himself around the brunette. His arms going around Squall's waist and settling on the small of his back. His blonde hair tickled Squall's left ear from where his head was rested near his shoulder. The brunette's arms finally settled around him; hands on the middle of his back. They slowly moved to the music. Squall raised his head feeling Zell's spiked hair graze his jaw. It felt nice to hold and be held by Zell. With the music in his ears, breath on his neck, hands stroking his back he closed his eyes for the rest of the song.

"See? Wasn't so hard was it?" Zell said suddenly.

The brunette opened his eyes and looked at him, realising that the song had ended without him noticing.

"I need a drink." The blonde said, heading for the bar.

Squall followed him.

"Do you want another?"

The brunette shook his head. "No thanks." He watched Zell drink half of his beer in one go.

"Okay I've danced and I've had a drink can we go now?" He asked, sounding bored.

Zell pouted. "You want to leave? Already? I thought you were having fun."

Squall shrugged.

"We'll go back and sit down if you like?"

"Whatever."

"No, no not whatever. Come on." He marched over the table that they had before, which was taken so they sat at the one next to it. Squall sat down first, Zell set his beer on the table then sat down as that their thighs were touching and he casually put his arm around Squall's shoulders as if it was normal for them now.

The brunette stared out at the crowd and tried not to count all the places their bodies touched each other.

The music had gone back to being lively and upbeat, the dance floor was filling up again. "Do you want to go back out there and dance?" Zell asked.

Squall frowned, wondered if Zell had forgotten who he was talking to. "I've danced already remember?"

"Yeah only two songs worth though."

"That's enough for me."

Zell rolled his eyes. "When we get back to garden I'm going to get the others to help me force you to go with us to the little place to Balamb."

Squall scowled.

"Now that I know you can dance and you have clothes for it that'll be no excuses." He beamed.

"You like torturing me don't you?"

The blonde laughed. "Yeah I just love watching you squirm." He grinned wickedly, pressing his lips to Squall's ear he added. "Especially when you're pressed up against me like this."

Squall turned his head to look into sparkling baby blues and grinning lips that weren't far away from his own. "Are you flirting with me?" He wasn't sure, he wasn't good at this.

"Err...... yeah?" He said hesitantly in case he had imagined the interest Squall seemed to have in him and ran off.

Squall just frowned. Zell laughed. "Don't look at me like that, I know you don't swing my way I'm just teasing you I haven't forgotten that you're straight......."

"I'm not." Squall corrected him.

"...What?"

"I'm not straight.... well not completely anyway."

"Really?" Zell looked shocked. "Wow I always thought you were....."

"If I was I wouldn't have kissed Irvine at the Christmas party a couple of years ago.... though I was pretty drunk and so was he."

Zell was staring at him, mouth open. "You kissed Irvine? He never said...."

"I'm not sure he remembers.... I wasn't sure I did, at first I thought I'd dreamt it."

"Wow so do you still like...."

"Irvine? No."

Zell continued to stare. "Wow." He looked down at his arm that was around Squall. "So you _really_ don't mind.... this." He motioned to how they were sitting together.

"I don't mind." Squall said.

The blonde grinned. "Cool."

III

They stayed a while longer Zell managed to get another dance out of Squall and they back to the hotel, well Squall walked Zell bounced along energetically beside him. If Squall wasn't used to Zell he would have thought he were drunk but the blonde had only had a couple pints.

"You're in a good mood." Squall said as he let them into their hotel room.

"Well yeah!" He grinned. "I had fun, did you have fun?"

"It was alright." Squall agreed, walking over to look out of the window at the night sky. The sky was clear and the moon was nearly full. He could see the stars. He sat on the large low windowsill and turned to look back at Zell.

The blonde had his shirt up around his head in the process of removing it. Squall's first was that it was dress shirt so why not just undo the buttons but he liked the view of Zell's torso with his arms in the air so he didn't mention it.

"I can finally get out of these." Zell unzipped his leather pants and pulled hard. The pants only slipped a little bit.

"I can't get them off." He complained.

Squall was no help he just sat there and watched the show as the blonde slowly managed to pull his leather pants off. His eyebrows rose.

"No underwear?"

"I couldn't fit them under here." Zell explained kicking them off and standing naked in the room. He bent to rummage for some boxers.

Without looking up at him he said. "If you keep looking at me like that I might get the wrong idea." He looked over his shoulder to grin cheekily at him.

"I'm not used to guys walking around naked in front of me that's all." He protested.

"Yeah, yeah." He put on a pair of blue boxers and stood walking over to Squall who just watched him get nearer.

"I really need a shower, you don't mind if I go first do you?" He reached out and undid the buttons on Squall's dress shirt.

Squall let him finish the buttons then he shrugged out of the shirt. "Lately...." He started to say awkwardly looking down at Squall's bare chest. "I thought you've been looking at me... differently." He flicked his eyes up to meet Squall briefly. "But I thought I imagined it." He looked back up again. "Did I imagine it?" He asked, suddenly feeling brave.

The brunette didn't answer at first he just stared at him.

Zell felt his courage slipping, he dropped his gaze and moved to take a step back.... he couldn't. Something was holding him in; he looked down to notice Squall's arms around his back.

"I thought I was being subtle." He said before he ran a hand into Zell's hair and pulled the stunned blonde forward for a kiss.

Zell wrapped his arms around the brunette and kissed him back.

"I wondered what you tasted like." Squall said.

The blonde chuckled. "And?"

"You just taste like beer." Squall shot him an accusing look.

He laughed. "Sorry." He said, not sounding sorry at all but made up for it by kissing him again.

III

TBC

Note: Abrupt ending I know but I want to put 'everything else' in the next chapter and I'm already over the usual 2,500 words.


	10. Chapter 10

Part 10.

IIII

Zell's phone rang suddenly, Squall jumped and Zell shot it an accusing look. They lay on the bed.... well Squall lay on the bed Zell laid half on top of him. The brunette had a red angry looking mark on the left side of his throat that was still wet from where the blonde had been 'marking his territory' as he put it.

"Don't answer it." Squall said.

The blonde glanced at him. "What if it's an emergency?"

"Then they'll call back." Squall said, pulled him back down and into a kiss.

Zell sighed and kissed the brunette back for a second then reluctantly tore himself away and answered the phone. "What?!" He said, shortly.

"Zell? Hello?" Selphie said into the phone.

Zell rubbed a hand over his face. "Oh Selphie, hey." He lay back on the bed beside Squall who moved to lie on his side next to Zell.

Fingers started to draw lines and patterns up and down his chest, mapping out over his torso and deliberately avoiding his groin, his nipples or anything else he might like to be touched.

"Selphie now's really not a good time." He spoke into the phone, his eyes meeting Squall's.

"But you didn't ring me to let me how the club went."

"We've only been back half an hour." He rolled his eyes at Squall, even though the brunette could only hear his side of the conversation.

The brunette responded by lowered his head and lapping at one of his nipples. Zell gasped sharply, his hand stroking Squall's hair.

"Zell? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, it's nothing." He said into the phone.

The brunette frowned as if taking offence. He moved his mouth to the other nipple and he dropped a hand between the other man's legs.

"We're fine Selphie..........." He said; the last part of her name going a bit high as Squall squeezed him through his boxers. Boxers, which were being pulled down his legs he realized in part alarm but he still raised his hips off the bed to help. "I really have to go now Selphie I'm a bit busy."

"Yes, yes both of us are fine, we're getting along fine now." He smirked, looking down at Squall.

The smirk fell off his lips when he realized he was looking 'down' on Squall. The brunette was teasing him nibbling at the skin at the inside of his thighs, dropping a few kisses, licking along the trail of light coloured hairs that ran down to his groin.

"I _really_ have to go now Sel... Yes, yes we're the best of friends now, trust me... okay, yeah...." She was still talking so he cut her off. "Yeah bye." He hung up before she could protest, turning the phone off and throwing it on the floor. She'd ring back angry later but he could make her happy with a few details.

"Brave boy, hanging up on Selphie like that." Squall whispered; his breath ghosted over Zell's erection.

"Yeah well...." He grinned. "I'll just tell her I got a better offer and then she'll forgive me." He combed his fingers through Squall's hair.

Squall's lips turned up slightly in what would count as a smirk on him. He started to nuzzle between Zell's legs avoiding his cock at first, just moving his mouth over his balls and farther down and then back up. It suddenly occurred to the blonde that Squall probably hadn't done this before so maybe he was hesitant to....

He gasped when the brunette suddenly moved and swallowed his cock taking as much as he could. The blonde arched off the bed and cried out. The brunette then stopped and ran his tongue down the length of him, over veins as if mapping out the way down. He slowly started to sink down again almost half way then he moved back up again. It was agonisingly slow. The blonde gritted his teeth against the need to thrust up. He definitely did not want to ruin anything and scare the inexperienced brunette away. His hands fisted in the sheets, lifting himself up slightly to watch. Squall moved a hand to wrap around the base of Zell's cock moving in the same slow pace as his mouth. He suddenly looked up through his lashes with a wickedly teasing look in the eyes.

The little shit was torturing him on purpose?!

Squall started to take more of him, moving his hand out of the way until he had taken all of him, deep-throating the little blonde.

Zell cried out, one hand fisted in his lover's hair. Squall started to move with sudden experienced ease as if it had all been an act before. Squall fell into a quick rhythm letting the little blonde thrust up. He started to stroke himself off and he glanced up and met the blonde's eyes, which suddenly closed as he arched his back and came. Squall swallowed as much as he could but not all, he run the back of his hand over his mouth, blushing suddenly feeling shy.

Squall slithered back up the bed and lay on his side next to Zell who was staring at him like he hadn't meet him before.

"Where did you learn to do that?" He panted.

Squall shrugged.

"I thought you were all innocent and inexperienced."

Squall raised an eyebrow at being called innocent. "I had a girlfriend remember?"

Zell scoffed. "Yeah but you didn't learn _that _from Rinoa.... unless there's something she's not telling us."

"I had a male lover before Rinoa." He said casually.

"You did? How come I didn't know?"

"Nobody knows, he was a couple of years older than me and when he made Seed they transferred him to Trabia."

"Oh." He rolled onto his side, propped his head up on his arm.

"Did you miss him?" He reached down and started to slide one finger up and down Squall's erection.

The brunette shrugged. "Not really it was only a casual thing.... I guess I missed the sex a bit."

Zell's hand closed around his lover's erection, tugging gently, playfully. "I'm just surprised, I didn't think you went out or spoke to anyone or.... anything back then."

"I didn't but I.... was around this guy a lot that's all and one day training turned into.... something else." He said.

"Tell me about him."

Squall frowned. "Why?"

"I want to know, I like to think I know you quite well but I didn't know anything about this."

"Only because I didn't want anyone to know."

"You didn't tell Rinoa?"

Squall made a face. "Of course not, how do you tell your girlfriend that he used to have a male lover in the past?"

Zell gave him an amused look. "I don't think she'd have minded.... in fact it might have helped."

"Now that she's met Selphie sure but she mentioned being a bit freaked knowing that Seifer had been with men."

Zell frowned. "Seifer had been with a guy before Rinoa too?" He shook his head. "I didn't know that either." His hand stilled on Squall's flagging erection.

The brunette frowned and thrust his hips into the hand. The blonde smiled sheepish. "Sorry." He said, fastening his grip, squeezing lightly enough to draw a gasp.

"I guess it doesn't matter." He said, his lips finding something better to do, kissing and licking up Squall's throat, jaw line and collarbone.

The brunette moved his head back. "No it doesn't." He wound his hand into Zell's hair, tipping his head to the side, sighing he closed his eyes.

Zell's hand picked up the pace, sliding quickly over Squall's cock. The brunette placed his other hand on his lover's forearm, gripping it as he came over the blonde's hand. Squall only grunted quietly and let go of Zell's arm.

The blonde brought his hand to his lips and licked his fingers. Squall grimaced in distaste. "Gross." He said.

Zell laughed. "How is it? You swallowed, remember?"

"Yeah but that's different." He frowned.

Zell shook his head, moving off the bed.

"Where are you going?"

"Shower, remember? I really need one now." He said, stretching.

"Oh." Squall disappointed. "Okay."

The blonde smothered a smile, trying not to laugh at Squall's expression. He held out a hand. "Come on, you look pretty dirty to me too."

Squall's eyes looked down at the hand then glanced up into smiling baby blues. "Oh." He said sounding more hopeful, getting up off the bed and following Zell into the bathroom.

IIII

Selphie was yelling over the music and noise of people talking in the bar at Balamb. The group sat around a circular table together. "He hung up on me! On me, me! Can you believe it? I'm going to kill him when they get home. I only wanted to the updates on how things were going between Squall and Zell, it's only because I care and how do they repay me?" Quistis knocked back another drink as she vaguely listening to Selphie annoying ranting. Fujin was staring at the small brunette like she was going to kill her if she didn't stop talking.

"Maybe we should talk about something else." Rinoa suggested, eyeing Quistis getting drunker and drunker and Fujin's hostile glances. She looked at Irvine, the cowboy was oblivious. He stared across the table and Seifer who sat opposite was staring right back. That had been happening a lot lately. They odd couple were together most of the time, at breakfast, lunch, dinner. Dinner was sometimes interrupted when they ran off for more sex.

"More they're getting along too well." Irvine said suddenly, taking his eyes off Seifer for the first time since they got there. "Maybe they found something better to do with their time."

"Then why didn't Zell tell me that?"

"Maybe he will later."

Seifer scoffed. "More likely Squall doesn't want people to know, you know how uptight he is."

"Or maybe they went out and ended up in other people's beds." Fujin said.

Selphie and Rinoa looked horrified at the idea.

"What?" She blinked at them. "It could happen." She glanced at Seifer who was staring at Irvine again and elbowed him in the ribs.

"Ow!" He said, rubbing his side, glancing at her briefly. "What was that for?"

"You were doing it again." She said.

"Was I?" He looked back at Irvine who smirked at him. "Sorry." He said though his eyes had gone back to the cowboy.

Fujin rolled her eyes. "Why not ring him back now? Put it on speaker phone." She said.

Selphie searched around for her phone before Quistis handed the brunette hers. "It's ringing." She said.

"Speaker phone." Rinoa reminded.

"Hello?" Zell answered. They could hear the shower in the background.

"Zell! It's Selphie."

"Oh." He sounded scared. "Look Selphie about earlier.........."

"You hung up on me!"

"I know, I'm sorry but... but I had a good reason."

"Which is?"

There were hushed voices in the background, people talking, probably Squall and Zell talking.

"I'll tell you if you promise not to tell anyone yet."

Selphie glanced at the others who smiled or smirked or grinned. "I promise." She said.

"Well.... Squall and I kind of.... we're a couple now and we err were um...."

"Having mega hot sex?" She supplied.

"Well...... Yeah." He said quietly, maybe shyly.

All the girls at the table 'woo-hoo-ed' and shouted and laughed.

"Wait a minute! Am I on speaker phone?!" Zell yelled.

Selphie laughed. "Yep, we're all here, Quistis, Rinoa, Irvine, Seif..."

"You don't tell me I was on speaker phone!!!"

"You didn't ask." She said innocently.

"Squall's gonna kill me." He said, horrified.

"Why? This is great news."

"We didn't want to tell anyone yet."

"We can pretend we don't know, right everyone?"

They all made sounds of agreement.

"This is what you get for hanging up on me." Selphie said cheerfully. "Bye!"

She hung up.

IIIII

TBC

Only read it through once so it might have a mistake or two or three or four or..... whatever.


	11. Chapter 11

Part 11.

IIIII

"Irvine!" Selphie called the cowboy's name and ran to catch him in the busy hallway.

"Hey darlin' what you been up to?" He grinned.

She fell into step with him. "You're in a good mood." She said grinning back at him.

"Yeah well I had a good night, if you know what I mean." He winked at her.

Her smile faltered. "With.... Seifer?"

He nodded. "Uh huh." He turned around, walking backwards. "And.... I have a date tonight." He beamed.

"Really?" Her eyes lit up. "_That_ is good news."

"Yeah." He nodded. "Just to Balamb, thought we'd just go see a movie or something, nothing fancy." He shrugged.

"But a date's a date, right? So who is she, anyone I know?"

He shook his head. "We don't want to advertise it."

She gave him a look. "You, don't want to brag to everyone? That's not like you"

"Would you believe she's shy?" He offered.

She didn't look convinced but didn't push it. "Fine you have your little secrets, I'll find out eventually." She left him alone and went to find one of the girls.

She found Rinoa and Fujin in the quad, the girls were supposed to helping Selphie with the latest festival, though neither of them looked very enthusiastic.

"Guess what I found out." She ran up to them grinning. "Irvine has a date tonight! A real date, with a girl!"

Strangely the other two didn't look excited or happy or anything. They frowned at each other and then at Selphie. "And this is good because....?" Fujin asked.

Selphie struggled; she thought they'd be happy. "Well... he's over his dry spell."

"Great." The albino said sarcastically. "Now I'll go back to having Seifer whine about being horny and single and alone." She frowned at the brunette.

Rinoa pouted. "I thought they made such a cute couple."

"Cute? Don't let Seifer catch you saying that." Fujin said. "But at least it was two happy people for the price of one." She pointed out.

Selphie looked disappointed. "Oh well.... Fujin you have to take Seifer out tonight."

"Why?"

"To cheer him up, maybe he won't notice that Irvine has a date." Rinoa said.

The albino sighed but still agreed. "Fine."

"Did he say who he was going out with?" Rinoa asked.

"No, he said something about her being shy, but I don't if that's true or if he just didn't want to tell me."

"We should follow them secretively down into town to get a look at this girl." Rinoa suggested.

"Why? What good will that do?"

"We could scare her off him?"

Selphie looked confused. "I thought you wanted to break up Seifer and Irvine and now suddenly you want to stop Irvine dating anyone else?!"

"I never wanted that." Rinoa said. "I like them together but I never thought they were dating, they were just.... passing the time with each other."

Fujin nodded along. "I would have rather they were a couple then just screwing around together. I think they'd good for each other." She made a face. "Except for the sappy looks they give it each other it's sickening."

Selphie sighed. "Okay so we should talk to Irvine, right?"

"_You_ should talk to him." Rinoa said. "You're his ex."

She nodded. "Fine I'll talk to Irvine. Fujin, you go talk to Seifer."

The albino agreed.

IIII

Irvine had one leg in his trousers when someone knocked on the door. He hobbled to the door and leant on it to get his other leg in. "Hold on a sec." He called, pulling his trousers up and doing them up. He unlocked the door and did a double take at Selphie standing on his doorstep.

"Oh hey Self." He looked surprised.

"Expecting someone else?"

"Yes actually." He walked back to his bedroom leaving her to close the door and follow him.

"Your date? She's coming here, to meet you? You're not picking her up?"

He shrugged. "We usually take it in turns." He said then winced.

"I thought you said this was the first date?"

He grinned. "It is."

"Then how could you take it in turns?" She looked confused again.

He didn't answer instead he picked up a shirt off the bed in one hand and another in the other hand and held them up against himself. "What do you think? This one?" He gestured the blue in his left hand. "Or this one?" He gestured to the grey in his right hand.

She studied the two shirts and the smart black jeans he wore. "That one." She tugged the grey one.

He looked at them and agreed with her. He undid the two buttons keeping it on the hanger and put it on. He was doing up the buttons when someone else knocked on the door.

Selphie turned. "That'll be your date." She grinned. "I'll get it."

"Wait! Selphie, come back here. Let me answer it."

She hurried to the door faster and opened it quickly. She froze in surprise and frowned at the person in the hallway.

"Selphie." He nodded at her.

"Seifer." She looked over her shoulder at Irvine who was standing right behind her with his buttons done up wrong. "Is this your date?" She asked.

The cowboy scratched his head looking sheepish. "Well..."

Seifer laughed, putting his hands in his pockets of his usual trousers. Selphie noticed he looked at the same as he usually did.

"You didn't make any effort at all." She criticized.

"He never does." Irvine said. "Seifer's too lazy."

"Hey I am not lazy. You're too vain." He gave Selphie a look. "Did you know he can't open the door without making sure every hair was in place?"

She smirked back at Irvine who was sorting out his buttons. "He did to me."

"I thought you were Seifer." He said.

"Can I come in?" Seifer asked, still standing on the doorstep.

"Oh!" Selphie stepped back, letting him in and shutting the door behind him.

"You know I had a very strange 'talk' with Fujin before I came here." He said to Selphie. "You wouldn't have something to do with that would you?"

Selphie looked sheepish. "Maybe a bit, we were worried that's all."

Seifer looked at Irvine. "Did you get the speech about the vegetables in the basket too?"

"What? Vegetables? No."

Selphie stared. "No not vegetables! Fruit! Fruit in the fruit bowl! Not vegetable basket!" She rolled her eyes.

The guys looked at her like she was making even less sense.

"Never mind. I'll leave you two to it." She opened the door and let herself out.

IIIII

"Pizza, pizza, pizza, pizzzzzzzzaaaaa!!" Zell sung loudly as the carried the boxes in and set them on the bed. His sat up, the blankets pooled around his waist. He was still naked under the covers. Zell had gone out to get food.

"Not pizza again?" He complained.

"That's all I can find."

Squall gave him a doubtful look. "And how well did you look?"

The blonde looked a little guilty. "Well.... I went out.....but then the pizza smell was just too much and I had to buy some!"

Squall rolled his eyes.

Zell leaned forward, his knees on the bed. "Forgive me?" He asked; doing his best puppy dog eyes expression.

Squall sighed. "I don't know....."

The blonde looked down at Squall lips, leaning forward to kiss him. The brunette sighed into the kiss, letting his lover push him back into the bed leaving him flushed and breathless. "Forgive me?" He repeated.

"Fine, I forgive you." He said.

Zell grinned, sitting up again on his knees on the bed. He put one box on Squall's lap and dragged the other over towards himself.

"I know the secret to get around you now if only everyone else knew all they had to do was kiss you." He winked at Squall.

"Humph." Squall frowned at the blonde.

As Zell bit into his pizza Squall said. "We should go back tomorrow."

"To garden?" He looked worried.

"To Winhill, I don't want the owner to think we're not going back and destroy all our stuff."

"Oh yeah sure, I guess we'll have to." He eyed Squall worriedly. "We'll still be...... together there right? You don't want to go back to....." He cracked a smile suddenly. "...to.... staring at my ass when you think I'm not looking."

Squall gaped at him. "You noticed? I thought I was being.... stealthy."

Zell choked on his mouthful, laughing but trying to stop. "Sorry baby but I think you need more practise. I, on the other hand, have been checking out you since.... god since puberty hit."

Squall blushed, hiding it behind a slice of pizza.

Zell was still chuckling at him between mouthfuls of food.

The blonde polished off his pizza quickly and then studied Squall as he usually did, only this time Squall got the feeling it wasn't his pizza he was after.

"Need something for desert." The blonde mused.

"We haven't got anything." Squall said, pushing aside his empty pizza box.

The blonde grinned at him. "We'll think of something." He crawled over to his lover and kissed him.

Squall sighed into the kiss letting Zell control the kiss. The blonde pushed back the covers. "Oh you're still naked. I think you should be naked all the time."

Squall scoffed. "I'm sure the other Seeds at garden would love that."

"They would you know, half of them have fantasised about you at some point." He stared at Squall's naked body, making the other man blush.

"Stop looking at me like that."

"I can't help it, you're gorgeous." He winked at Squall.

He leaned in and kissed him again, lying half on top of the other man. Squall's arms came up and wrapped around him, one hand playing with Zell's hair.

"When- When we go back to Winhill...." Squall started to say.

Zell's mouth had trailed off down Squall's throat, collarbone, down his chest. His hands moved ahead touching his stomach and grazing over his groin. "Hmmm?" He asked; only half paying attention.

"I-'I'll drive the car if you like as you drove here."

Zell's mouth paused over Squall's stomach, he raised an eyebrow. "What?" He gave a little laugh. "No I'll drive its fine."

"B-But I think...." He trailed off, moaning.

His lover wrapped a hand around his erection, playfully stroking him. The blonde's mouth worked down his stomach and over his inner thigh.

"Why can't I drive?"

Zell's eyes looked up and met his own. "No offense Squall but...." He blew warm air over his lover's cock as a pleasant distraction.

Squall moaned and spread his legs farther apart.

"You're a terrible driver."

"What?!" He looked sharply.

Zell took this moment to take the head of Squall's erection into his mouth.

"Ohhhh." The brunette flopped back down into the sheets again.

The blonde pulled back, using his hand to cover Squall's cock in his saliva, stroking him firmly. "Last time you drove the three of us were like hostages in the back, hanging on for dear life."

"I-I didn't... urgh...." He gripped the blonde's hair, urging Zell to take him in his mouth again. Zell leaned forward and took half of his lover's erection, sucking on him while moving his hand. Squall just moaned, conversation forgotten for the moment.

He cried out and came, collapsing into the bed panting for breath. After a minute or two when Zell had shuffled back up the bed and was grinning at him again he said.

"So you don't like my driving?"

"No, sorry baby but you're terrible at driving, you can't be good at everything."He smiled. "Forgive me?"

Squall looked up at him, flushed and crumpled and basking in his afterglow nodded. "I forgive you."

"Great!" He beamed. "So I'll drive us back to Winhill tomorrow."

Squall nodded. "Okay." He agreed.

IIII

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

Part 12.

IIIIII

The manager of the hotel in Winhill seemed more upset about the couple leaving and going to Deling than the thought that they might not come back. It seemed like the hotel had lost a lot of business to the bigger town. The staff seemed to welcome them back with open arms, asking if they needed anything, wanted anything. Zell shooed them, saying they were fine. They finally got up to their door and shut everyone else out.

Squall sighed, leaning on the wall. He was never one for crowds, or for being the centre of attention.

"Thought they'd never leave." Zell said, standing directly in front of Squall. With his hands on either side of his head he leaned in for a kiss.

Squall managed a small smile, lips turning up slightly at the corners. "So now we're back in Winhill, what should we do to pass the time?"

"I've got a few ideas." The blonde grinned.

"I bet you have."

Zell pulled his lover off the wall and into the bedroom. "Come on, come to bed with me."

They disappeared in the bedroom together and didn't really emerge for two weeks.... except for food.

Two weeks later Squall was packing up his case to go home, he was silent as he folded his clothes neatly fitting everything inside. Zell threw stuff in his case and sat on the lid to get it to shut.

"Do..." Squall looked up at Zell. "Do you want to tell everyone about us?" He asked hesitantly. "You.... do want there to be an 'us' when we get back right?"

Zell's eyes widened. "Of course I do if you do." He paused. "And as for telling everyone err.... m-maybe they already know."

Squall frowned. "How could they already know? I didn't tell them and you didn't...." He trailed off, eyeing Zell's guilty expression. "You told them?!"

"I didn't mean to! I told Selphie! But- but she had me on speakerphone......." He looked up guiltily. "Are you mad?"

"Did you want to keep it a secret?"Squall asked.

"God, no!"

"Neither did I, then it doesn't matter."

They packed in silence for a few minutes, both of them thoughtful. "I err we..." Squall glanced at the blonde. "We might not be able to be together as often back home..... Not that I don't want to, but...."

"I know." Zell said. "You're a workaholic, I remember." He grinned.

Squall nodded, closing his case and zipping it up easily.

"Although I have thought about me and you in your office." Zell said.

Squall looked surprised. "You have?"

He nodded. "I've spent many afternoons, mornings, evenings and Quistis' lessons imagining bending you over your desk." He grinned.

Squall blushed, turning his head away for a minute, shyly looking back. "Maybe that can be arranged." He said.

The blonde's grin widened. "Really? Cool, I'll hold you to that." He chuckled.

Zell shut his case with difficulty and tried to zip it up. Squall had to hold it down for him while he zipped it up. "How much did you pack?" The brunette complained.

"Not too much, unlike you I need underwear." He grinned at him.

"I wear underwear.....sometimes." Squall picked up his case and walked to the door with it. "Ready?"

"Yeah." Zell slung his bag on one shoulder and picked up his suitcase with the other hand. "Goodbye room." He said at the door, ignoring the amused look from Squall.

"You've been hanging out with Selphie too long." He said, walking out of the hotel followed by Zell. They headed for the Ragnorok, which was parked at the edge of the village. They walked up the ramp with their cases, leaving them in the conference room.

"I'll drive!" Zell said quickly.

Squall gave him a dark look. "You don't have to keep mocking my driving skills."

"Or lack of driving skills." Zell added, not looking at Squall because he knew there would be a glare aimed at him. The blonde sat in the pilot seat and powered the engine.

Squall sat the seat next to him.

"Goodbye Winhill." He said, glancing at Squall. "Aren't you going to say goodbye to Winhill Squall?"

"No, it's a village it can't hear me."

Zell shrugged with a smile and set off for Balamb.

IIII

Selphie bounced around excitedly on the field where the Ragnorok was due to land any minute. "They'll be here soon." She bounced. "Are they here yet?" She bounced more. "Why aren't they here yet?"

A hand landed on her shoulder calming her. "Easy darlin' they'll be here soon. We got a call from Squall saying they would be home around this time."

"I can't wait to hear about their trip! About their relationship! I can't believe my plan worked!"

"I wouldn't let Squall know about your plan if I were you." Seifer said. "He'll probably break up with Zell just to spite you." He made a face. "Personally I don't know what Squall sees in the little chicken."

Irvine laughed. "That's because you're a grumpy asshole."

"I never heard you complaining." Seifer said smirking at him.

"Look!" Rinoa got up off the grass where she had been sitting cross legged picking daisies.

The Ragnorok flew through the sky towards, landing in the next field.

They all walked forward, Seifer grumbling about Zell bad flying, him parking so far away and them having to walk. Most ignored him, Irvine tried to elbow him but he leaped out of the way. The girls were walked ahead, out of the corner of her eyes Quistis saw Irvine lunge for Seifer and rolled her eyes.

The blonde yelped in an unmanly way, they all looked back quickly. Seifer pushed Irvine away hard. The cowboy stumbled back laughing. Seifer glared at him.

The girls glanced questioningly between the two. "You've got to tickle him." Irvine said, wiggling his fingers at them.

"_You're_ ticklish?!" Selphie questioned.

Seifer just glared at the grinning cowboy purposefully walking far away from him.

"HEEELLOOO?!" Zell's voice called over to them from the next field.

"ZEEEELLLLLL!" Selphie and Rinoa both yelled, running off at full speed to get the Ragnorok. Quistis followed at a more sedate pace with Irvine and Seifer lagged along in the distance.

"Hey girls!" Rinoa and Selphie leapt all over Zell who dropped his bags on the ground. Squall cautiously came down the ramp not wanting to get jumped on.

"Squall!" Rinoa greeted, hugging the brunette who went rigid in her arms. He moved out the way when Selphie tried to hug him as well.

"Tell me everything!" Selphie said, eyeing both of them but mostly looking at Zell.

"Well.... not much to tell." He shrugged.

"Not much?! I want the details!" Selphie grinned.

Quistis caught up. "Squall." She said.

"Quistis."

"Welcome back."

He nodded.

Irvine offered them a wave and Seifer didn't say or do anything. He was just there to get out of garden for a minute and because Irvine was there.

"Let's get them back first before we start grilling them, shall we Selphie?" Quistis said.

Irvine picked up Squall suitcase, Quistis picked up Zell's bag and they turned and walked back to garden. Zell filling in some blanks on the way, mostly he remembered the food.

"Oh!" He suddenly said on the way back, looking back at Seifer. "Remember that club we snuck out to when they were cadets?"

Irvine blinked. "You two went to a club together?"

"Not 'together' together." Seifer said. "There were a group of us."

"The limping lion." Zell said.

"The what?" Irvine laughed.

Zell nodded. "Seifer discovered it." He grinned.

Seifer sneered. "I was thirteen when I first heard of it I didn't know any better."

"But you were sixteen when we went there." Zell pointed out.

"Shut up Chicken Wuss."

"Anyway, we went back there, we stayed in Deling for a weekend." He explained.

"Is that where 'things' happened?" Selphie asked, grinning.

Zell glanced back at Squall, the brunette had dropped back to walk behind the others not liking all the attention. "Yeah, he couldn't resist my dancing skills."

Seifer scoffed.

Zell whipped round. "What was that asshole?"

"You dance like a chicken whose been set on fire."

"I do not! Asshole!"

They made it back to garden without too much problems. Zell and Seifer were fighting, arguing back and forth.

Squall ran off to his office the second they walked through the door. Quistis was reluctant to let him go and get back into his workaholic routine, but Selphie grabbed Zell and said. "Good that'll give us time to talk."

Squall hesitated, seeing Selphie drag Zell over the cafeteria. "Talk about what?" He asked suspiciously.

"Things." She shrugged. When he stood there she added. "Don't you have work to do?"

Zell leaned in to whisper to Squall. "I'll come and find you later."

The brunette nodded before going up to his office.

"Come on." Selphie pulled Zell's arm. "I want to know everything." Rinoa took his other arm and lead him to the cafeteria. His case and bag were taken by Irvine and Seifer had Squall's. The two disappeared to the dorms with them.

Zell was sitting at the table with Selphie and Rinoa when Seifer and Irvine walked in.

Rinoa frowned. "I can't imagine Squall being with a guy again.... I mean another guy after........." She trailed off, looking sheepish.

Zell shot her a look. "You knew about that? Squall told me no one knew!"

"Knew what?" Selphie eyes flicked between the two of them.

"Well I was his girlfriend of course he told me... actually I was a girlfriend to both of them." She chuckled.

Zell eyes widened. "What?! You knew about the guy Squall was with before and you dated him too?!"

She frowned. "But of course I did, you knew that.... Oh!" She said. "Oh! I get it."

"Get what?" Selphie asked.

"He didn't mention that part.... Oh well, forget I said anything."

He stared at her. "Wait a minute, I don't want to forget. Tell me about it!"

"What we talking about?" Irvine said as he appeared.

"Squall's past sex life apparently." Selphie said. "Though no one's telling me anything."

"How come you knew? Squall said he couldn't tell you!" Zell said to Rinoa.

Seifer frowned. "Squall told you what?"

Irvine smirked and looked at his lover. "I think you're secret's out of the bag."

Seifer shrugged. "Doesn't bother me, we were kids. We trained together and then one day training turned into.... something else."

Zell stared at him. "Oh my god!! It was you!"

"I thought you said you knew." Seifer frowned.

"He told me it was a guy who graduated two years ahead of him and was transferred to Trabia."

"Ah." The tall blonde said, sitting in one of the empty seats. "Oh dear."

Irvine sniggered.

"This is not funny!" Zell fumed."Why didn't he tell me?!"

"Probably because he'd know you'd act like... well like this." Rinoa said.

Selphie glanced around. "Was I the only one who didn't know anything about this?"

"Yes." Irvine said.

"_You_ knew?!" Zell looked at Irvine.

"Seifer told me." He nodded.

Zell gaped at Seifer. "Why did you do that?!"

The taller man frowned. "What, so it's okay for Squall to tell his boyfriend but not okay for me to tell mine?"

Irvine nudged him. "You said the B word." He chuckled.

Seifer groaned. "I did, didn't I?" He dug in his pocket and pulled up a 10 Gil note. "Okay here you go."

"Thank you." The cowboy took the money and pocketed it.

Zell watched their little exchange. "Squall's going to kill me.... or you." He said to Seifer. "Or both."

Irvine shrugged. "Can't you pretend you don't know?"

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"Don't mention it, nobody mention it ever again."

The others nodded in agreement. "I can do that." Rinoa said.

"I suppose that might work." Zell said, looking thoughtful. "And if it doesn't work and he does find out I can always give him a blow job to take his mind off things."

Rinoa choked. "What?"

He shrugged. "That what I did the last time I told him something he didn't want to hear." He grinned.

"And that worked?"

He nodded. "He said he forgave me."

Irvine chuckled.

Selphie leant forward on her elbows. "Are you sure you don't want to give me any sex details?"

Zell rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to speak.

"He's sure."

Zell jumped and so did most of the others at Squall's voice. "Squall?" He said, looking guilty. "How long have you been there?"

"I just got here, thought I'd have lunch with you guys first." He looked over the table. Everyone had gone strangely quiet.

"What were you all talking about?"

"Nothing." They all said at once.

Squall frowned.

Seifer stood from the table. "Is that the time? I have to go and err.... wash my hair." He finished lamely. "Irvine come help me with that."

The cowboy got up and they left together.

Squall frowned. "That was weird."

Rinoa shook her head. "It's not weird; they've been doing that for weeks, running off to have sex with the stupidest excuses like we don't all know what they're doing."

Squall nodded and sat down next to Zell who was silent until Rinoa got up, made an excuse and left with Selphie.

"Why do people keep leaving?"

Zell shrugged and shuffled nearer. "Maybe they're being nice and leaving us alone to have lunch together."

"I guess." Squall said.

"Nice to be back home isn't it?"

Squall nodded. "I suppose it is."

There was a pause.

"My dorm tonight?" Zell asked.

"Sure, I'll come round after work." He agreed.

Zell grinned and nodded.

IIIIIIIII

And they all lived happily ever after.

Notes: I didn't want to drag it on for too long, Winhill's so boring I was running out of things to write.


End file.
